Letting Go
by india8
Summary: Evie visits her cousin Bella and Uncle Charlie. Her mom is dying and both her parents are keeping a secret from her. She is thrown into a world were vampires and werewolves exist. Falling for a werewolf wasn't planned but neither was having him imprint on her. Are the feelings she has for him real or just part of the imprint? Does he even know the difference?
1. Chapter 1

***I don't own any of the characters from Twilight. They belong to Stephenie Meyer. I only own the original characters in this story.**

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><p>Chapter 1<p>

The lights were off as Evie walked up the pathway to the front door. The house looked the same from all those years ago when she and her mom would visit her cousin Bella and Uncle Charlie. Her mom, Katherine always liked the small town feel of Forks Washington. Her mom loved growing up with her cousin Charlie, who was more like a brother and Billy Black who lived on the Quileute Indians Reservation in La Push Washington. Evie took a deep breath trying to force the back tears.

Evie missed her mom but knew that with chemo and radiation treatments, traveling was a big NO for her mom. She felt guilty leaving her mom back in California. She missed home. The sound of the waves breaking and crashing as the tide washed up on the beach. That was best sound in the world. She frowned as she thought of home. Her chest began to tighten as she thought of her mom and home.

She took a deep breath and knocked on the door. She knew her Uncle was home. His police cruiser was parked behind what she assumed was her cousin Bella's Chevy truck, aka the thing. She smiled thinking that there was no mistaking that this house belonged to the Chief of Police. She always thought it was cool that her Uncle was the Chief.

She glanced at the truck once more as she remembered Bella e-mailing about her 'new' truck and boyfriend…Edward. At least she thought that was his name but she wasn't quite sure. But there was also Bella's best friend Jacob. It made Evie wonder if Jacob was Jacob Black. He had a huge crush on Bella when they were younger. He was always a happy kid with a big grin permanently plastered on his face. The porch light turned on, pulling her from her thoughts.

"Can I help…Evie?" Charlie looked stunned. He blinked a few times before he broke out into a smile. It only lasted a few seconds. "What are you doing here? I thought you arrived on Monday." He opened the door to let her in. She grabbed her bag and walked in. She noticed her Uncle still had his mustache.

"Mom gave you the wrong day," she began to explain. "She's been a bit off on her days. She meant Friday not Monday. I took a cab." He gave her a look. "Uncle Charlie, I take the bus all the time. It's almost the same thing." He scowled at her. She dropped her bag by the couch in the living room.

"I can't believe how grown up you look," he said rubbing the back of his neck. "You look so much like your mother." He could feel his throat tighten. Katherine didn't deserve the pain she was going through. She was always so full of life. It didn't matter that Kathy was only his cousin. He always thought of her as his kid sister. Both being only children, brought them together. "How's your mom doing?" He could see the hesitation in her eyes. He wouldn't wish Cancer on his worst enemy.

"Umm…," Evie responded. She shifted from one foot to the other. "Mom's holding up." She pushed the lump in her throat away. "She's tough," she added clearing her throat. "Sorry we missed Bella's graduation." She pulled her hair way from her face. "Mom wasn't up for traveling and I didn't want to leave her so soon after everything that happen."

"I understand Evie," Charlie nodded with a sad look on his face.

He motioned for her to take a seat. Evie looked around the room and smiled. It looked exactly the same as it did four years ago. The couch and recliner were exactly the same. They were even in the same spot. She smiled thinking of the last time she was here. They celebrated her twelve birthday here. Her dad showed up to help celebrate.

There were pictures of Bella through the years all around the room. There were a few of Bella, Jacob Black and her when Bella was six and Jacob and Evie were four, sitting on the dock while Uncle Charlie and Billy Black, Jacob's father, fished. There was also one of the three of them covered from head to toe in mud, Bella was five and Jacob and Evie were three.

"Where's Bella?" she asked taking a seat.

Charlie shifted uncomfortably. "She's with her boyfriend," he replied. It looked like the word boyfriend left a bad taste in his mouth. "She should be home…," he stopped talking when the front door opened and they heard voices.

"I'm just saying Bells," a male voice said. The voice sounded familiar.

Charlie and Evie stood up as Bella and a very tall guy walked into the living room. His dark skin was a beautiful shade of brown. His black hair was as dark as night. Evie's eyes connected with the tall guy for just a moment, but the dark pool of his eyes were familiar and friendly. His physique was nice to look as his dark blue shirt hugged every muscle on his chest and arms. The cutoff denim shorts showed off his muscular legs. The fact that he wasn't wearing shoes didn't deter from his overall presence. She quickly looked at his eyes.

"Jacob," she asked a bit uncertain. The recognition in his eyes made her smile.

"Evie," he said with a big goofy smile. He crossed the room in two steps and engulfed her in a hug. "It's been forever since I've seen you." He pulled away and they laughed. He still looked the same except for the growth spurt.

"I know," she replied returning his huge grin. "You're huge. I have to crane my neck back just to see you." She was looking up at him.

"That's Jake, the giant," Bella added with a laugh. Evie and Bella looked at each other and smiled.

Bella looked exactly the same, mahogany hair with chocolate brown eyes. She was still as pale as ever. She really stood out next to Jacob. He was looking at Bella as if she was the only girl in the world. Hmm she wonders how the boyfriend feels about this or if he even noticed.

"Bella, you look great," Evie said pulling her into a hug. "I'm sorry mom and I missed your graduation." Bella hugged her back. "I've missed you."

"Me too," she replied before pulling away. "I thought you were coming next week?" she asked a bit confused.

"Mom gave Uncle Charlie the wrong day," Evie answered. Jacob sighed.

"You knew she was coming and you didn't tell me," he grumbled. Evie laughed at Jacob's expression.

"I wanted to surprise you," Bella quickly responded with a smile. "Besides I'm pretty sure the last thing Evie wanted was another mud pie in the face." She looked at Evie and laughed.

Evie turned and scowled at Jacob. "That's right. You shoved it in my face and mouth," she exclaimed hitting him in the arm. "Ouch," she cried out looking at her hand. He laughed as she shook her hand. "Your arm is like a concrete wall." They laughed except Charlie, who was watching them with a weird look. "Hey what happened to your hand Bella?" she questioned her cousin as she lifted her bandaged hand.

Jacob ruffled Evie's hair before standing next to Bella. She couldn't help but notice how Jacob and Bella moved towards each other. It was almost like a dance. Their bodies glided along to their own beat.

"That would be me," Jacob admitted reluctantly. He felt bad that Bella got hurt, but it did force her to face the fact that she loved him or so he hoped. They took a seat on the couch.

"Figures it was you," Evie stated with a smile. She took a seat next to Bella and Charlie sat on the recliner.

"How long are you here for?" Jacob asked leaning back and throwing his arm around the back of the couch.

Bella looked at Jacob. Something passed between them but Evie wasn't sure what it was. "A few days," she answered. "My dad is taking me to Hawaii for my birthday next week."

Jacob let out a low whistle. "Must be nice," he said smiling. "My sister Rebecca lives in Hawaii with her husband."

"Wow, I didn't know that Rebecca was married. Where's Rachel?" Evie asked. "How's your dad?" She loved hearing Billy's commanding voice when he told stories.

"She's in college," Jacob replied. "She works during the summer and takes classes as well. Dad is okay." He had one of Bella's hands in his own. He was playing with her fingers.

The phone rang. "I'll get it," Charlie volunteered.

"How's Aunt Kathy?" Bella asked in a soft tone. Evie could hear the sadness in her voice.

"Mom's okay. She was more worried about me," Evie quickly responded. "She thought it would be a good idea for me to visit here until my dad gets back from Japan." Jacob raised his eyebrows. "He's on a photo shoot," she explained. "That's one of the reasons he is taking me to Hawaii for my birthday. He has another photo shoot in Hawaii and decided to mix business and pleasure."

"Wait, your birthday was in March," Bella said with a confused look.

"Hey that's right," Jacob added. "Your birthday is after mine." He leaned forward but kept Bella's hand in his.

"Yeah, you're both right. He was in Paris for my birthday," Evie replied. "It's a late birthday present." She tried to keep the disappointment out of her voice. She couldn't deny the hurt she felt when he called apologizing for missing her birthday. That was the second time he cancelled their Hawaiian vacation.

"I can't wait to see him," Bella smiled. "I remember Uncle Mitchell would put on puppet show for us." She moved a bit closer to Jacob. His body heat kept her warm.

"Oh, yeah," Jacob exclaimed. "Whenever we got bored, he would make up these funny stories with puppets." He laughed making Evie and Bella laugh too.

"You'll get to see him in a few days," Evie pointed out. "This will give me time to meet your boyfriend." The happy atmosphere suddenly changed to awkward.

Bella looked sideways at Jacob before giving me a polite smile. Jacob's jaw tighten as he tensed up a little bit. He looked away for a moment. Bella touched his arm and he relaxed. Evie wondered if Bella realized the effect she had on him or the effect he had on her.

"You will meet him tomorrow actually," Bella answered. She looked away when Jacob turned towards her. The small smile on his face made her nervous.

"That sounds like fun," Charlie said in a sarcastic tone as he took his seat on the recliner.

"Dad," Bella scolded. The tension in the air was building up. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Actually, you, Evie and I will be in La Push tomorrow," Charlie stated. Bella looked worried but Jacob had a huge smile on his face.

"But I have plans with Edward and Alice tomorrow," Bella said looking at Charlie. "Maybe we can go to La Push another day." She knew Edward would be upset about her going to La Push. In her peripheral vision she could see the huge grin on Jacob's face.

"I'm sorry kiddo but Billy, Sam and Emily are throwing you a graduation party. They felt bad missing the party at the Cullen's," he said. But he didn't sound sorry at all.

"Maybe we could all head over to La Push," Evie suggested but she could see Jacob's jawline tighten up again and Bella looked scared. "Or not," she quickly added. She placed a hand over her mouth as she yawned.

Bella glared at Jacob. "You knew about this didn't you?" she asked. No wonder he wasn't pouting about her spending time with Edward.

"Why don't you girls head upstairs and set up the roll away bed I put in Bella's room," Charlie suggested as he placed a hand on Bella's shoulder.

"Sorry, but I am a bit tired," Evie commented as another yawn came out. "It took a while to get mom setup at the facility." She grabbed her bag as she followed Bella.

"I'll see you both tomorrow," Jacob called out as Bella and Evie headed upstairs. They waved bye to him.

"The bathroom is right here," Bella said pointing to a door. "Char…my dad's room is there and this is my room," she finished as she swung open the door.

"It looks exactly like when we were kids," Evie said walking into the room. She looked around the room. Everything was the same except the computer on the desk. "Remember when we used the closet as an elevator," she asked laughing.

Bella laughed. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot. We pretended to take the elevator at the Empire State Building," she continued to laugh. "Dad didn't change it much over the years." She walked over to the roll away bed. "It's not that comfortable but it's better than the couch," she said.

They unfolded the bed and added sheets. Bella walked to her closet and pulled out a comforter. Evie grabbed her bag and bounced on the bed. Bella shook her head at her cousin.

Evie pulled out some pajamas. "It'll be fine. I'm only here for a few days," she commented as she gathered her stuff. "Besides I'm more interested in spending time with you and Jake and being a teenager for a while." She knew the next few months would be hard.

Bella grabbed her arm. "I can only imagine what you've been going through, but I'm here if you want to talk," she said with tears in her eyes.

"Thanks," Evie whispered as she tried to push the lump in her throat aside. "Do you want to change first?" She needed to stay strong. Her mom needed her to stay focused.

"No," Bella replied as she patted Evie's arm. She looked at her phone on the nightstand. "You go first. I need to umm….call Edward and explain about tomorrow." This would most likely be a conversation that would make her feel guilty for spending time with Jake. Somehow it would feel like she was choosing Jake over Edward.

Bella looked worried but Evie didn't feel like pressuring her. She smiled and walked out of the room. She headed to the bathroom. Everything slowly started to catch up to her. The mirror above the sink showed her sad reflection. She turned on the water and quickly undressed. As the water hit her chestnut colored brown hair she closed her hazel eyes. Tears threaten to fall but it wasn't the time to fall apart.

Evie turned off the water and dried herself off. She was in the middle of brushing her teeth when her phone rang. Dylan's face flashed across the screen. She rolled her eyes at her boyfriend's face as she hit the reject button. Pushing him out of her mind, she rinsed her mouth and grabbed her stuff. As she entered Bella's room her phone rang again and once again she hit the reject button.

"Whoa," Evie said breathlessly. The guy in front of her was gorgeous. His reddish brown hair and butterscotch eyes were beautiful. His perfect features were chiseled just right. As gorgeous as he looked, something was a bit off about him. There was a coldness that seemed to surround him.

"Hello," he spoke. "You must be Evie. Bella has told me so much about you." His perfect smile didn't reach his eyes. His forehead began to scowl down as if he had a headache.

"Evie this is my boyfriend Edward Cullen. He was um…worried," Bella said nervously.

"It's nice to meet you Edward. Bella has told me a lot about you too," Evie said a bit hesitant.

"All good, I hope," he laughed softly. Even his laugh sounded too perfect.

"Are you okay?" Evie asked looking at him. His smile seemed forced and his butterscotch eyes were boring into her. His forehead was still scowled down. "It looks like you have a headache."

A weird looked crossed his face for a split second. "Um…I wasn't feeling well early," he answered.

"And yet you still came over to check on my cousin," Evie replied. Bella gave her a look. "I think I'll go downstairs and keep Uncle Charlie occupied while you…well you know." She placed her stuff on the bed. "It was nice meeting you Edward." He gave a lopsided smile that showed perfect straight teeth, too perfect. She walked out the door and felt a shiver all over her body. She shook it off and headed downstairs.

"You didn't tell me that your cousin was like you," Edward said a bit harshly.

"What are you talking about?" Bella asked frustrated. "Why are you here?"

When Evie went to take a shower she noticed the missed calls and texts from him. He didn't even give her a chance to call or respond to his texts. He immediately climbed through her window and began bad mouthing Jacob and the rest of the pack. She had to resist the eager to roll her eyes when he started with the same old argument. The pack was dangerous and Jacob couldn't be trusted.

A part of her understood why he felt that way. Jacob had feelings for her but they were unwarranted. Okay, maybe not completed unwarranted. A part of her loved Jacob, but the other part loved Edward. She knew it was wrong to let Jacob continue to feel this way about her but he was her sun when she was alone in the dark. She hugged herself thinking about that painful time in her life.

"I told you," he began to say in a low voice. "I was worried when I couldn't reach you. When Alice couldn't get a vision of you, I immediately came over to make sure you were unharmed. I read Emmett's thoughts," he caressed her cheek. "And now I come to find out that your cousin is here earlier than we thought. Alice didn't see her coming but I'm not sure if it has anything to do with the dog…"

"Don't call him that," she snapped. Her hands were balled into fists at her side.

Edward could see she was upset. "I'm sorry love," he quickly pulled her into his arms. "I worry when I don't know where you are and especially when Alice can't see you." He twirled her hair around his finger. She flexed her hands trying to relax.

"What did you mean about Evie being just like me?" she asked. A thought crossed her mind but she quickly pushed it aside.

"I can't read her thoughts," he answered. "It's quite frustrating." He pulled away to see her face. It was even more frustrating not being able to read Bella's thoughts.

"I wonder why that is," Bella questioned. "You can read Charlie and Renee's." She began to bite her lip, a nervous habit, as she mulled over this bit of information.

"I hear Charlie talking to Evie about going to bed," he sighed as he looked away. "I'll talk to everyone tonight about your cousin coming over tomorrow. We could have a movie day or," he could tell she wanted to say something but didn't know how to say it. "What is it?" he asked gently as he stroked her cheek. He had a feeling he knew who it concerned but he needed to contain his emotions in regards to the dog. It would only push Bella in the wrong direction and he couldn't afford to place her in danger where the wolves were concerned.

"Billy invited us to La Push tomorrow," she answered in a small voice. "Charlie already agreed." She could see the anger in his eyes but he quickly hid it.

"I see," he said trying to keep a smile on his face. "I hear Charlie coming up the stairs. I think that's my cue to leave." He kissed her forehead and quickly left. She was left grasping nothing but air.

"Night Uncle Charlie," Evie sounded tired. "Is he gone?" she whispered.

"Yes, he's gone," Bella answered with sadness in her voice. She couldn't help but blame herself for Edwards's unhappiness. "I'm going to change for bed. Excuse me." She gathered her stuff off her bed and began to walk out.

"Are you okay?" Evie asked. She could see that her cousin was upset. Bella stopped at the door with tears in her eyes.

"I'm okay," she lied with a small smile. She walked out the door.

Edward stood in the coverage of the trees as he listened to Bella and her cousin. The thought of his Bella being pawed by that dog infuriated him. He had enough to worry about with Victoria. He didn't need Jacob's constant pursuit of Bella. He tried once again to read Evie. Nothing, not a single thought.

"Edward," Alice's bell like voice floated in the air. She stood next to her brother trying to read his mood. She knew he was angry but he was also frustrated. "We need to leave," she stated without further explanation. He gave her a look but she ignored his bad mood.

"The wolves will be here," Emmett said looking behind him. "They are only a few minutes out." He didn't mind keeping an eye on Bella but he did miss Rosalie.

Emmett looked at the window to Bella's room. He knew coming back was wrong. All it did was cause more hurt and pain for Bella. But if he was being honest, he did miss Bella's clumsy ways and not to mention how easily she was embarrassed. Edward hissed at Emmett.

"Sorry, but you should really control reading my every thought," Emmett smirked as he thought of Rosalie.

"Damn it Emmett," Edward snapped as he turned towards his brother but stopped.

There was a low growl coming from the dark coverage of the trees surrounding the Swan residence. Emmett watched as a large dark silver wolf slowly approached them. He could see a large brown wolf walking alongside the dark silver one. Edward instantly recognized them as Paul Lahote and Jared Cameron. Emmett let his mind wandered to the possibility of wrestling with the wolves. Alice tapped his arm. He shrugged and followed Alice. Edward glanced at the wolves before following his siblings.

Paul watched them walk away. He shook his head trying to clear his nose of the sweet sickly smell of the leeches. Jared moved around trying to find a spot that didn't reek of vampire but it seemed they saturated the entire surrounding area with their stench. Paul stopped moving and sniffed the air towards the house, more precisely towards Bella's window.

"_Hey, do you smell honeysuckle?"_ Paul asked through the mind link the pack had with one another when they are in wolf form. _"It can't be leech lover."_ His wolf felt possessive for a moment.

Jared wiped at his face with his paws. _"It smells the same as last time," _Jared replied with a grunt. Actually there was something different. _"How the hell do you know what honeysuckle smells like?"_ he asked shaking his head. _"You know what, I don't want to know. Jacob told Sam that Bella's cousin is in town for a few days." _He let his mind wander. He missed Kim, his imprint. She was probably in bed missing him too. He was picturing her face. Those lips of hers were so full; especially when she was wrapping them around his… Paul nudged him, nearly knocking him over.

"_Damn man, you just left her house. Quit being so pussy whipped,"_ Paul scoffed. Damn imprints. No way in fucking hell was he ever going to imprint. He liked fucking whoever he wanted, whenever he wanted.

"_It's not my fault you're developing a crush on Bella,"_ Jared said with a laugh.

"_She should be so lucky,"_ he said as they made their way around the perimeter. _"The leech lover isn't giving anyone the time of day, especially baby alpha."_

"_I don't know," _Jared continued. _"Jake and Bella looked cozy on the beach." _The pack was taking bets on whether Jake would get the girl. The Cullen leech had a firm hold on Bella.

Even though Paul didn't care about Bella and Jakes relationship, he did care about Jake. He was his Pack Brother and they protected each other. He found Jared lying down under a tree close to the house after he finished his run around the property. He turned as laughter floated from Bella's room. He took another sniff of the air and almost moaned. That scent was intoxicating. He secretly hoped the leech's cousin looked as good as she smelled. He felt that same possessiveness as before. He didn't know what it was or even what it meant. He nudged Jared until he rose on all fours. They made their way to an area with more coverage.

"Hey did you see…," Evie sputtered as she turned away from the window to look at Bella.

"See what?" Bella asked curiously. She knew the wolves were probably patrolling around the house.

Evie shook her head. "I thought I saw a bear or a wolf but it couldn't be," she said with a slight laugh.

"What?" Bella asked. "If it was a bear or a wolf they would make a lot of noise." She laughed trying to play if off. "It's probably your eyes playing tricks on you." She continued to laugh hoping Evie would believe her.

"Your right, I think I'm a bit more tired than I realized," Evie yawned. She walked to the roll away bed and pulled the covers over herself. "Night B."

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><p>"What time did you two get up this morning?" Charlie asked as he walked into the kitchen. There were pies cooling off on racks, a variety of cookies in containers and assorted cakes.<p>

"Five," Evie answered before popping a piece of cookie in her mouth.

"I texted Emily last night," Bella was frosting the last cake. "I told her I would bring desserts since they were taking care of the main dishes and stuff."

"Well that was very nice of you," he commented. Evie opened a container with chocolate chips cookies. He smiled and grabbed a few.

"Do you want breakfast?" Bella asked. She noticed Evie putting the lid back on the cookies. She rolled her eyes as Evie laughed.

"No, I think these will hold me over," he answered with a raise of his hand. "Besides, I have to run to the office for a few minutes," he called out as he grabbed his keys to the cruiser. "It gets cold by the beach so pack a jacket, both of you." The door closed with a small bang.

"Just a reminder what I told you about Emily," Bella was looking at Evie with a sad look. "I know you won't say anything mean but she's been through a lot." An image of the beautiful girl with long black hair with red scars down the right side of her body had Bella taking a deep breath.

"Hey don't worry," Evie commented. "I can only imagine the pain she's gone through. I would never add to it." She didn't even know Emily but her heart felt for her.

"Thank you," Bella replied.

Evie looked out the kitchen window and decided to change the subject. "I thought you said the sun would be out," she pushed the curtain aside and pointed.

"It will be," Bella laughed. "It won't be hot like California weather but still nice and warm." She continued to frost the cake.

Bella knew that her days were numbered before she left this life behind. There was no way she wanted her cousin a part of that life. The thought of Victoria coming after her family wasn't something she could allow. Between the Pack and the Cullen's they we're well protected.

"I hope so," Evie said as she hopped up on the counter. "I have my bikini on under my shorts and shirt." She smiled as she swung her legs.

"Just don't stand next to me," Bella scoffed as she rolled her eyes. She was wiping her hands off on a dish towel.

"Still jealous that I can tan while you blind people with your whiteness," Evie said laughing as she jumped off the counter before Bella could hit her with the towel. She moved over to the table and grabbed another cookie.

"I'm not jealous," Bella commented. She thought of Jacob. She loved the color of his skin. How warm and smooth it felt under her fingertips. A knock at the door brought her out of her daydream. What is going on? All she seemed to think about was Jacob these days.

"I'll get it," Evie called over her shoulder. She opened the door to see Edward standing at the door with the same scowl from last night.

"Good morning Evie," Edward greeted her like an old friend. He smiled but he found it quite irritating not to hear a single thought running through Evie's mind.

"Good morning Edward," Evie smiled but she felt a sudden coldness seeping towards her. She brushed it off as an overactive imagination. "Bella's in the kitchen." She opened the door to allow him in.

As he passed her, she noticed his pale porcelain skin looked smooth and void of any color. She felt the coldness again, maybe she wasn't imagining it. She followed behind him as he entered the kitchen.

Bella felt when Edward walked into the kitchen. She stiffened at his touch. The more Edward bad mouthed Jacob the longer it took for her to forgive him. But yet when Jacob bad mouthed Edward, she could easily forgive him. There was too much going on for her to actually sort through everything. She took a deep breath as he rested his chin on her head.

"Are you still upset love?" he whispered softly in her ear. Her body was still tense in his arms. He rubbed her arms trying to relax her but she seemed even tenser.

Evie could see the tension in Bella's body but there seemed more going on than the typical disagreements between boyfriend and girlfriend. She walked to the living room to give them some privacy. She looked out the window and noticed a black Mercedes. The windows were tinted too dark to see inside. She closed the curtain when her phone rang. She quickly pulled it out of her pocket. She smiled when she noticed the caller ID.

"Hey mom," she answered happily. "How are you doing?" She missed her so much.

"Evie," her mom sounded tired. "Oh sweetie I am so happy to hear your voice." Kathy leaned back in her chair. "I'm okay sweetie. The facility is taking care of my every need." She took a deep breath to keep the tears at bay.

"Mom, you know I don't mind being there with you," Evie stated. "I can come home this afternoon and cancel my plans with dad. He'll understand." She could hear it in her mom's voice that there was something she was holding back from her.

"No," Kathy quickly replied to her daughter. "You need to be a teenager and not a caretaker." She held her hand up as a gentleman appeared at the door. He waited with a grim look on his face.

Evie let out a frustrated breath. "Okay, I don't want to argue," she mumbled gently. "I'm sorry mom; I didn't mean to upset you." She could feel a small lump in her throat.

"Sweetie," she sighed as she motioned for the gentleman to take a seat. "Let me call you back. The nurse is here for my treatment."

"Okay mom," Evie replied. "I love you." Her voice caught at the end.

"I love you too," her mom quickly answered back. The tears she was fighting began to fall.

Evie heard the click ending the call. She put her phone in her pocket and leaned against the wall. She took a slow steady breath. She headed up the stairs to Bella's room. She grabbed a pair of jeans, a long sleeve shirt and shoes. She was about to leave the room when she remembered her hoodie.

As she made her way downstairs she could hear hushed voices and it sounded like Bella was upset. She pulled out her phone to give her something to do well Bella and Edward talked. The familiar rift of a song played on her phone indicating she had a new text message. There was only person with that particular ring. Dylan Andrews, her boyfriend.

She stood next to Charlie's recliner debating whether to read the message when she realized the house was quiet. The only sound she heard was her heartbeat. She was about to walk into the kitchen and check on Bella when there was a knock at the door. The sound startled her for a moment but she quickly made her way to the door.

Evie opened the door to see a cute guy standing on the porch. His was grinning at her. She could actually see a twinkle in his eye. His dark rustic skin tone looked silky. His black hair was short and sticking up a little bit.

"Hi," Evie said returning his smile. She could see Jacob and another guy talking. The guy looked over in her direction and gave a shy smile. His eyes were dark but there was something familiar about them. He was shorter than Jacob and a little leaner. All three were in cutoff jean shorts and shirts that showed off their muscles.

"Hi, you must be Evie, I'm Seth Clearwater," Seth felt his heart speed up. This girl was cuter in person than in Jake's mind. She smelled like honey. He slowly looked her up and down but when he met her hazel eyes he could have sworn his heart skipped a beat.

Evie watched him look her over. He looked young but when their eyes finally met, she had to admit he was a good looking guy. "Hi Seth," she opened the door wider to invite him in. He looked over her shoulder and took a step back. Evie looked behind her to see Edward and Bella walking towards them. She turned to face Seth and was startled to see Jacob and the other guy standing behind Seth.

"Hey Evie," Jacob said without looking at her. He was staring straight past her. She had a feeling he was looking at Edward. "This is Embry Call."

"Hey Jacob," Evie quickly muttered. She was feeling claustrophobic standing between everyone. "Hi Embry," she greeted him with a smile but she knew that it probably looked more like frown.

"It's nice to meet you Evie," Embry said with a shy smile. "Smells like you and Bella have been baking." His smile widened and Evie softly laughed.

"Man, I hope you guys made chocolate chip," Seth sighed with a goofy smile on his face. She looked over her shoulder. Edward was practically glaring at Jacob.

"Yeah, we started early," Evie laughed. She could feel the tension coming from both sides.

Seth tensed up for a moment but rolled his shoulders and seemed to relax. He didn't like feeling this way. Jacob was in a serious stare down with Edward. He crossed his muscled arms over his chest. Embry took the same stance as Jacob.

"Um…Seth do you mind helping me load the stuff in the truck?" Evie asked taking his hand. Seth looked at Jacob who slightly nodded his head towards the kitchen. "We baked a lot." Bella mouth 'Thank you' as Evie pulled Seth passed them.

Edward waited until Evie was far enough away. "Jacob," Edward said with a bit of anger. He held Bella's hand close to his chest.

"Leech," Jacob hissed. He tried to ignore their hands but he slipped and let the anger roll over him. Edward smirked at Jacob's discomfort.

Evie and Seth were in the kitchen stacking the trays. Seth smiled and walked out of the kitchen carrying the trays. Evie shook her head and followed him out. She could see him munching on a few cookies. The hall and porch were empty as they walked out the door. She followed Seth to the truck. She could see Jacob, Embry, Bella and Edward standing several feet away.

Jacob took a deep breath to calm down. He hated that the leech could read his mind. Edward gave Bella a quick kiss that infuriated Jacob. He could see the surprise look on Bella's face. Before he could think about it, Jacob let one of his fantasies of him and Bella play out. Edward turned to face Jacob with venom in his eyes.

"Those two really hate each other," Evie commented as they stood at the back of the truck.

"Yeah, I don't think hate begins to cover it," Seth stated looking at Evie. He turned when he heard Jacob and Edward began to argue.

"It's your dad Harry Clearwater?" Evie asked leaning against the truck.

"Yeah, he was," Seth whispered. He looked away and cleared his throat. "He had a heart attack a few months ago. He passed away."

"I am so sorry Seth," Evie stated as she took his hand.

"You didn't know," Seth replied as he gave Evie's hand a squeeze. They turned to look at Jacob and Edward when they heard Bella telling them to stop.

Evie turned and winced as Embry stepped between Edward and Jacob. They looked ready to kill each other. She moved towards them when she saw Bella's face. The words 'Dog' and 'Leech' were said. Evie didn't understand why they would call each other by those names. Bella was pushed behind Edward, but the look on her face changed from worried to angry. She tried to move away from Edward but he kept her firmly behind him. Evie looked down to see Seth's arm wrapped around her waist.

"Let's wait here," Seth muttered as he pulled her back towards the truck. She was slightly behind him.

She watched Seth move his head as he watched Jacob and Edward. But the way he moved, it looked more like Seth was following the conversation and reacting the same way as Embry. But there was no way Seth could hear them. She couldn't even hear them.

Charlie's patrol cruiser pulled up the driveway. Jacob and Edward were in each other's face but of course Jacob towered over Edward. They didn't seem to notice Charlie walking up to them or at this point didn't care. He walked up to the boys and separated them. Embry was behind Jacob while Bella moved closer to her dad. Bella noticed a look of hurt cross Edwards face but it was quickly gone.

"It seems like you boys can't play nice unless there's a referee," Charlie stated as he looked from Jacob to Edward. "Well what's the problem now?" he asked in an exasperated tone. Seth allowed Evie to move them closer to the small group.

"It seems Eddie Boy here," Jacob said with a smirk, "is upset that Bella is spending the whole day in La Push." His arms were crossed over his chest.

Evie couldn't help but note that Jacob emphasized the word 'whole' or the fact that he had a taunting look in his eyes. She covered her mouth to keep from laughing at Edward's reaction. He may seem cool and collective but Jacob knew what buttons to push.

Charlie sighed. "Look Edward, I know you had plans with Bells here," he said. Not that he cared if they were ruined. Anytime Bella is away from Edward, was a great day for him.

"Dad," Bella started to say but Charlie held up his hands.

"I know Bells, I know," he sighed again. "But Billy and Emily felt bad that they missed your graduation party and wanted to do something nice for you. Now we are all going to La Push," he said looking at Bella. "You two can spend tomorrow together." He looked at Edward.

"Hello everyone," a song like voice floated behind Evie.

"Alice, I told you to wait in the car," Edward politely said. He knew she was just as upset that Bella would be surrounded by the wolves with no one to protect her from Jacob's advances.

"I know but I wanted to say Hi to Charlie," Alice answered. She faced Charlie. "How are you?" Her smile was perfect.

Alice's pixie face and short black spikey hair suited her, Evie thought, but like her brother, there was something a bit off with her. Evie got the same coldness from Alice. She noticed the same butter scotch eyes and pale skin. Evie knew that once she figured out what was wrong, it would be bad.

"Hello Alice. I'm good, just heading to La Push," Charlie responded with a smile.

Alice gave Charlie a bright dazzling smile. "Oh, I thought Bella was coming over to our house today," she replied. She tapped her finger against her chin. "Maybe Bella could come over for a few hours and then head to La Push later this afternoon." They could always tell Charlie that Bella was too sick to go to La Push. She gave Charlie a big smile.

Jacob gave Alice a dirty look. Edward tried not to smile as he read Alice's mind. He could also read what Charlie was thinking. The tension was practically crackling in the air. Embry was still next to Jacob but Bella somehow ended up between Jacob and Edward.

"Not to be a kill joy or anything, but I really don't know that many people in La Push," Evie interjected. She wasn't shy about meeting new people but there was an annoying vibe she was getting from Alice.

"Hey," Seth grumbled in a hurt tone. He looked at Evie and pouted.

"Sorry Seth," Evie whispered. She patted his cheek and smiled. "But the ones I do know, I would like to see." As much as she hated going by first impression, she would make an exception in Alice's case.

Alice turned and faced Evie for the first time. "I'm sorry, how rude of me. I'm Alice Cullen, Edwards's sister." Her smile was bright. "You are more than welcome to come over too."

"That sounds like a great idea," Charlie exclaimed. Alice and Edward smiled. "But it will have to wait until tomorrow." He clapped his hands a bit surprised that he didn't cave in to Alice's request. Maybe he was wrong but he felt like his days with Bella were numbered.

Edward kept the shocked looked off his face. He could have sworn Charlie was about to agree with Alice. He could see the smug look on Jacob's face which infuriated him. But he knew how to control his emotions.

"It was nice seeing you Alice. Edward," Charlie said with a tilt of his head.

"That sounds great Charlie," Alice replied with a smile. Something was off, she could have sworn her vision of Bella spending time with her and Edward was certain. "We should probably leave" she said looking at Edward. "We can see Bella tomorrow," she turned and faced Evie, "of course you are more than welcome to join us." She eyed Evie with critical look. Could she be the reason for the sudden change in Charlie's decision?

The smile on Alice's face scared Evie a little. But there was no way she was going to let her know that. "That sounds great," Evie replied with a big smile. "I look forward to it."


	2. Chapter 2

***I don't own any of the characters from Twilight. They belong to Stephenie Meyer. I only own the original characters in this story.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 2<p>

Bella and Evie stopped at Jacob's house first. They were going to drop off Charlie so he could visit with Billy before they headed to the beach. Evie laughed when she saw the red house. It definitely hadn't changed one bit. Billy gave her a hug as he asked about her mom. They chatted for a few minutes. Evie told him everything about her mom. She could see the tears in his eyes before he quickly brushed them away.

They watched as Charlie and Billy began to toss insults at each other. Bella and Evie took it as their cue to leave. They drove through La Push. Evie relaxed as they passed the little houses. She wondered who lived in them. How long have they lived in the house? How many generations lived under one roof?

They passed a small dirt road that opened up to show a two story white house with a small porch. It was set further back into the trees. Evie turned to look at the house again but only caught a glimpse of it. There was something familiar about it but she had no idea why.

They turned down a dirt road. Evie could see a small house slowly appear. The small yellow house looked like it belonged nestled in the surrounding trees. There were flowers and patches of grass around the house. There was a young woman wearing a pale blue dress watering the hanging plants on the porch. Her long ebony hair shined as the sun finally streaked out through the clouds. She turned slightly and Evie could see her profile. She looked beautiful. As she continued to turn, Evie bit her bottom lip. Her beautiful face was scarred.

"Remember what I told you," Bella whispered.

Evie pushed an image of Emily being attacked by a bear out of her mind. Jacob, Seth, Embry and another guy walked out of the house. The guy walked over to Emily and put a protective arm around her shoulders. That made Evie smile. She opened the door and grabbed a container of cookies. Seth was by her side ready to help.

"I'm only taking on container," Evie said with a laugh as Seth pouted. She handed him a couple of cookies. Seth took the cookie container into the house.

"Bella," Emily called out with a big smile on her face. Bella walked over to her and gave her a hug. "I'm so glad you're here." She turned to face Evie. "Hi, I'm Emily Young. This is my fiancé Sam Uley." She was looking at Sam with so much love, Evie couldn't help but smile. Sam pulled Emily closer to him.

Evie could see how hard it was for Emily to show herself to a complete stranger. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Sam watching her. He still had a protective arm around Emily. Evie gave Emily a big smile. "Hi I'm Bella's cousin Evie McIntyre." She held out her right hand. Emily briefly glanced at her out stretched hand before cautiously taking it. Emily's timid smile turned into a full blown smile.

"Nice to meet you Evie," Emily said. She continued to smile at Evie. There was nothing fake or phony about her. She was genuine just like Bella.

"Nice to meet you too, Evie," Sam's voice boomed causing Evie to take a step back. Sam laughed and reached for her hand. "I'm glad you could make it." He gave Evie a big smile.

"Thanks," Evie smiled. "I love your house," she stated as she looked around. "It looks perfect among the trees." She couldn't help but notice how much younger Sam looked when he smiled.

"Thanks," Emily said as they all walked inside. "Sam's been fixing things here and there." She walked into the kitchen. Evie noticed the guys were sneaking some cookies from the container Seth carried inside.

"Emily, everything smells great," Bella exclaimed as she lifted a lid off one of the pots.

"Thanks," she answered with a big smile. Evie could see how beautiful Emily was and still is.

"Jake," Bella hissed as she put the lid back on the cookies. "Leave some for everyone else." She tapped his hand and he rolled his eyes, making her laugh.

Evie laughed. "The guys went through two dozen cookies when they helped load the desserts," she leaned against the counter. Jacob shrugged and followed Embry and Sam outside.

"Hi," a female voice called out. Evie turned to see a girl about her age with black hair, dark brown eyes with a sort of average good looks standing next to a cute guy. He was over six feet, built with short hair. He smiled as his arm went around the girl's waist.

"Kim," Emily smiled. She tapped the guys hand when he grabbed two muffins. "Jared," she scolded playfully. Kim gave a polite smile.

"I'm hungry," he pouted before shoving one of the muffins in his mouth.

"Kim, Jared," Bella smiled as she gestured towards them. "This is my cousin Evie McIntyre." Kim smiled and gave a little wave.

"Nice to meet you Evie," Jared said with a big grin.

"Nice to meet you too," Evie smiled, another cute well-built Quileute boy. What the hell are they feeding these guys?

Jared whispered to Kim, "Honeysuckle." She shook her head and playfully hit him in the chest. "Paul," Jared shouted over his shoulder. "Get in here and meet Bella's cousin." He moved Kim back a bit as the screen opened. "This should be interesting." Bella and Emily gave Jared a confused look. He shrugged at them and smiled. He couldn't wait to see Paul's face.

"Jared," Kim hissed. She had a bad feeling about this but of course riling up Paul was one of Jared's favorite things to do.

Paul and Seth walked into the house laughing. Seth gave Evie a big smile.

"Paul this is Evie McIntyre," Jared called out. "Evie this is Paul Lahote."

Paul stopped laughing when he caught her scent. It felt like time stood still. Her scent was stronger than before. His wolf woke up deep inside him. He felt when Seth bumped into him but he didn't care. He locked eyes with the beauty that was standing a few feet away from him. Her hazel eyes showed more flakes of green than copper. He was stunned silent as those eyes looked at him. Her honeysuckle scent invaded his head. No, not just his head but his air, it was everywhere. Her chestnut colored hair was tied in a ponytail that was hanging over her shoulder. Her full lips and her slender neck, both were begging to be devoured. All he saw and noticed was her. A part of him felt an amazing sensation of floating towards her while another part was screaming 'Fuck no. No fucking way.'

"Whoa," Evie whispered. She watched as the most gorgeous guy she had ever seen walked in. She caught the smile on his face before the air was sucked out of the room. "Hi Paul, it's nice to meet you," she barely could speak the words.

Evie had difficulty swallowing. Paul was looking at her with almost black colored seductive eyes. His face was perfect with beautiful lips. For a brief moment she imagined sucking on his bottom lip. The shirt he was wearing did nothing to hide his well-defined chest and abs. It seemed like they were calling out for her to touch them. A small sigh passed her lips as she continued to look at him. She wanted to run her hands down his shoulders and arms, letting her fingers follow the contours of his muscles. His cutoff jeans hung low on his hips. Everything about him was perfect.

"What's going on?" Bella whispered to Emily.

"I think Paul imprinted," she replied shocked.

Sam, Embry and Jacob walked into the house laughing but stopped. They could all feel electricity in the air. Sam walked around Paul and went to Emily. He pulled her back once he was close enough to touch her. Jacob and Embry moved closer to Paul until they were flanking his sides. Bella moved closer to Evie but stayed a foot away. Seth moved towards Bella and Evie to try and block Paul in case he made a move.

A low growl came from Paul and his wolf as he took a step towards Seth, stopping Seth in his tracks. They didn't want another man near her. She was ours. Paul tried to push the wolf away. She wasn't ours; we don't want or need an imprint. Jacob stepped in front of Paul blocking his view while Embry grabbed Paul's arm. Paul moved a bit to the side to keep an eye on his imprint. He didn't want to look at her but he couldn't stop himself. Jared moved Kim behind him as he took a step next to Seth blocking Paul from the imprints.

"Did he just growl?" Evie asked in a scared voice. She moved closer to Bella as Emily took a step in front of her.

Paul felt like someone punched him. He saw the scared look in her eyes. They caused it, they scared their imprint. He should have stayed away. This is the last thing he needed in his life right now. Fuck you imprinting, he thought.

Emily looked at Sam. She wasn't about to let someone else go through what her and Sam did. Everyday her face was a reminder to them both of how dangerous imprinting can become when you're not ready to accept it. They all knew Paul hated the idea of imprinting. He didn't want his choice taken away from him.

"Paul outside," Sam commanded. He could see Paul fighting with his wolf.

Paul didn't move. He couldn't just leave her. His wolf was clawing at him to take what was his. Sam took a step towards him with a look only an Alpha could give. The wolf calmed down enough for Jacob to move him backwards and for Embry to pull him towards the door. He reluctantly allowed them to lead him outside. He took big gulps of the fresh air to try and clear his head of her intoxicating scent. He noticed Seth followed them outside.

Jared took a step but Sam gave him a look making Jared step back. Sam reached for Emily's hand and gave it a squeeze as he ran his fingers over her scars. He quickly kissed the scars on her face before kissing her lips. He pulled away from her slowly knowing she was remembering what happen to them all those months ago. He took off outside.

Emily and Kim were looking at Evie. When they were imprinted on they both felt a pull but it didn't seem that way for Evie.

"Evie," Bella whispered. She nudged her cousin.

"Huh?" Evie asked as she looked around trying to focus. Emily, Bella and Kim were staring at her which made her blush. Jared was looking at the ground. "I'm sorry. What did you say?"

"Are you okay?" Emily asked as she lightly touched Evie's arm.

"Yeah," Evie responded shaking of her head. "I'm sorry. I don't know what I did to make him mad." She leaned against the counter. Her legs felt a little weak but she wasn't sure why.

Jacob walked into the house and went straight to Bella. He whispered he needed her keys to the truck. He was planning on taking his dad and Charlie to the beach before the rest of the pack showed up. Plus it gave him an opportunity to let his dad know about Paul and Evie. They would all have to keep an eye on Paul. His temper was legendary but mixed with an imprint and the wolf inside him, this could be bad.

Kim nudged Jared making him snap his head up. He looked at his imprint with a guilty look. 'Do something' she mouthed. He rolled his eyes and knew this was partly his fault. He knew how Paul would react to Evie, well he had a feeling Paul would react to Evie but he didn't think it would be this strong.

"It's not your fault Evie," Jared sighed. "I kind of pissed him off last night when we were patrolling and …." Damn it, Sam is going to kill him, he thought.

"Patrolling?" Evie asked with a confused expression.

"A yeah, patrolling," he muttered. "We were walking around La Push last night just messing around and I teased Paul about having a crush on someone who is totally out of his league. And well, Paul gets mad easily and can hold a grudge for a while." He was rubbing the back of his neck. He could hear Jacob talking to Sam.

"Jared likes to make Paul mad," Emily quickly added. She gave Evie a polite smile. Sam will be livid after this whole mess.

"Jared," Sam yelled. Evie could feel the tension in the air but she wasn't sure if was from the scene earlier or something else.

"Excuse me ladies," Jared murmured. He gave Kim a kiss and quickly jogged out the door. He noticed Sam by the edge of the trees.

"You knew he imprinted and let him near the girls," Sam hissed. "Our imprints," he growled. His whole body was shaking as he struggled to contain his wolf.

"I didn't know for sure that it was an imprint," Jared protested. Sam snarled at Jared as he quickly held up his hands. "Okay maybe a small part of me, in the very back of my brain, I might have had an inkling," he showed Sam his fingers that were about a centimeter a part, "that there was a possibility that Paul might have strong feelings for Bella's cousin."

Sam let out a frustrated breath. "You are lucky that Paul had enough control to walk out that door," he ran his hand over his face. "Did she feel the pull to him?" he asked a bit optimistic.

"I don't know. I mean when I imprinted on Kim it was different. She always had a crush on me so I think it just intensified her feelings for me. Where is he?" Jared asked with a bit of guilt weighing him down.

"Seth and Embry are running with him well Jacob explains the situation to Quil, Leah, Collin and Brady." He knows Jared didn't mean any harm but the fact remained, Paul could have lost it when Seth moved towards Evie. "Do I need to remind you, we have a duty to keep what we are and what we do a secret?" This is something he would have expected from Brady or Colin but not Jared.

Jared shook his head no. He knew his punishment would be severe after putting not only his imprint and Paul's but Sam's as well. They all knew Sam would hurt anyone that put Emily in harm's way. Especially after he lost control and phased too close to Emily. He left her scared from her head to her feet. Even though Sam never meant for that to happen, he could never truly forgive his self for almost killing his imprint. He wondered what Jacob said to save his ass.

"Go relieve Embry and Seth," Sam commanded. "You are to watch Paul until I feel he can control himself around his imprint." As Alpha it was his responsibility to keep everyone safe.

"But Kim's here and I haven't spent any time…" Jared had a look of pure hurt on his face.

Sam cut him off. "You should've thought about that before pulling this stunt," Sam snapped. "Go." He watched Jared head towards the trees to phase.

Jacob was right, killing Jared would only let him off the hook and injuring him would only add more responsibility to everyone else. Letting Paul torture Jared for a while would be more beneficial. With Paul's temper and natural aggressiveness, Jared's punishment will take care of itself. He walked into the house and watched as Emily explained about the bonfire.

"It's a fun way for us to catch up. Especially since we didn't make it to Bella's graduation party," Emily explained as she replaced the cover over the sauce pan. "The guys mainly like the bonfire so they can eat. They are like bottomless pits," she said with a laugh.

"Hey, I'm not a bottomless pit," Sam complained with a hurt look as he walked over to her.

"Of course not you," Emily replied with sweet tone. She gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"I'm here," a female voice grunted as the screen door slammed. "Collin and Brady should be here in a few minutes."

"Hi Leah," Emily and Kim said in unison. Leah didn't seem to acknowledge either one.

"The tables and chairs need to go first, as well as the tents," Sam politely said. She nodded but didn't look at him. Evie caught some tension between Sam and Leah.

"Hi Leah," Bella tried to sound as cheerful as possible. She knew Leah hated being here at Emily and Sam's. "I wanted to introduce you to my cousin Evie McIntyre." She walked towards Leah. She could feel Evie behind her. "Evie this is Leah Clearwater, Seth's sister."

Leah stayed by the door with her arms crossed. Her silky black hair was shoulder length and cuffed behind each ear. Her dark eyes looked hurt and sad. She had full lips and a model type body. Tall and lean with legs for days. Evie felt short and stocky next to Leah.

"Hi Leah," Evie waved to her as she stood next to Bella. "It's nice to meet you."

Leah smiled at Evie but it was almost creepy. "Hello," she responded. She looked Evie up and down. What is it about these pale face women that have these stupid wolves all gaga over them? If she is anything like her cousin, Paul is in for a frustrating relationship, not to mention cold shows for life, Leah thought. "It's nice to meet you too," she said. This should be fun to watch.

"Do you need help with the chairs and tables?" Evie offered a bit hesitant.

"No, the guys can take them," she replied as Embry and Seth walked through the door. "Speak of the devil boys and they shall appear." She laughed at Seth's expression. She ruffled his hair as he tried to swat her hand away.

"Bella, Jacob's driving your truck back here," Embry said. "He dropped Billy and your dad off at the beach." He walked over to Evie. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm good," Evie lied with a smile. She was still a bit shaken. Seth returned her smile before following Sam out the back door.

Leah watched Embry and Evie talk. She looked away not knowing why she felt slightly angry at them. They were only talking and it wasn't like Embry was making a move on Evie.

"I'll help you ladies with the food," Seth called out as he rubbed his hands together.

"Ah, I don't think so little brother," Leah grumbled. "You can help load the tables and tents." She looked out the window and shook her head. "Collin put Brady down and go help out back," she scolded the immature pups.

Evie looked out the window and noticed two boys rough housing on the front porch. They didn't look that young but they acted like little kids. Both looked like they stood about five ten. Their bodies and muscles didn't look as defined as Paul and Jacob, they were leaner. She walked over to the table and began to stack up the containers of food. Seth was walking by and Evie handed him a couple of chocolate chip cookies. He gave her a big goofy smile and headed out the back door with a bounce in his step.

Evie noticed Embry and Jacob were talking to a guy who apparently didn't like shirts. The guy was cute. He was shorter than Embry and Jacob but had a little more muscle on him than Embry. Bella was walking towards them when Jacob turned and pulled her into a hug. He had his arm around her as he continued to talk to Embry and the other guy. If Evie didn't know that Bella had a boyfriend, she would've assumed Jacob was her boyfriend not Edward. They looked cute together.

"Evie do you mind grabbing the box on that chair?" Kim asked as she nodded towards the back door.

"Sure, no problem," Evie called over her shoulder. The box contained forks, napkins, plates and wipes. The box was a little heavier than she thought but not much.

Evie walked out the door but her shirt got caught on the screen door. She bent to put the box down but her shirt wasn't long enough to allow her to bend down. She tried to unhook her shirt from the door but the box started to slip. She let out a frustrated breath and tried one more time while balancing the box.

"Hey let me help you, Evie," the guy Jacob and Embry were talking to was standing in front her with a big smile. "I'm Quil Ateara." He gave her a wink.

"Hi Quil," Evie mumbled embarrassed. He unhooked her shirt smiling. "Thanks."

"No problem," he shrugged. He took the box from her. "Ready?" He noticed she was looking around before she took a step off the porch.

"Sure," she replied. She kept looking around trying to avoid Paul if he was still around.

Jacob held Bella from walking away. "We need to keep an eye on Evie. She doesn't seem to have been affected by the imprint. We've never heard of this happening before," he whispered. "My dad's concerned."

"Okay, but you need to figure out what to tell my dad when Paul starts stalking Evie," she whispered back.

* * *

><p>The sun came out as they finished setting up the table with all the food. There were three tables piled with food and desserts. Seth and Jacob were placing the last EZ up over the table. Evie and Bella finished the dessert table while Emily and Kim finished the food table. Evie slipped Seth and Jacob some sugar cookies. Bella gave them a look and shooed them away.<p>

"Who made the oatmeal raisin cookies?" Sue asked before taking another bite. Seth had introduced his mom to Evie before helping the guys set up the tables.

"That would be Evie," Bella answered with a smile. "It's our grandmother's recipe."

"They are really good," Sue said complimenting Evie. She took two more cookies.

Evie smiled as she looked at Sue. She liked her. It was easy to see where Seth got his happy go lucky smile from. As she turned around to look towards the ocean, she caught sight of the guys. Most of them were walking without their shirts on. Damn, it was good day to be at the beach.

"Gentlemen," Charlie shouted. Everyone stopped moving to look at him. "I know you have better manners than that." He shook his head at them.

Seth was at the front of the line trying to sneak a piece of chicken. "Seth," Sam yelled. He was walking down the beach carrying an ice chest. "Go to the back of the line." He stopped and placed the ice chest down. "Sorry about that Charlie. They get a little wild when they are around food." The guys smiled as they eyed the food in front of them.

Charlie shook his head with a smirk on his face. "Okay you hungry wolves," Charlie said loudly. Everyone looked at him with a shocked look.

"You tell them Chief," Billy yelled from his chair. "These boys act like they have never seen food before." Billy laughed as well as Charlie and Sue. The pack let out a chorus of laughter.

"Please allow the ladies some room so they may make their plates," Charlie ordered before taking a step back.

Sue passed Charlie and patted his arm. His face immediately turned red. Leah rolled her eyes while Bella and Evie giggled. It seemed Sue and Charlie had some chemistry. Bella blushed as she walked past her dad.

Sue moved to the opposite side of the table to give the boy's room. Leah gave the guys a big smile as she piled food on her plate. She took a step away from the table and doubled backed. She hummed as she made herself another plate. The guys began to grumble until Sam told them to knock it off. Emily gave Sam a kiss on the cheek and a piece of chicken. He quickly gave the guys a look that kept them quiet. Kim laughed as she took her plate and followed Emily.

Evie noticed Seth waving his arms over his head. She laughed softly as he began to jump up and down. He pointed to himself and the table. She looked down at her plate and smiled. She grabbed another plate as the guys began to grumble. She pointed at different foods and Seth nodded. She gave him a look and pointed at everything. He gave her thumbs up as she laughed.

"Evie, there is no way you can eat all that food," Jacob scoffed.

"How do you know?" Evie asked with a hand on her hip. Jacob gave her look and then turned to the back of the line. Seth looked around as he whistled.

"Where the hell are you going to put all that food?" Quil questioned Evie with a smirk on his face. He had his arms crossed over his chest.

Evie lifted her shirt and showed her flat stomach. "I'm sure I'll find a place." She put her shirt down. She grabbed two forks and walked away from the table.

"Damn that was hot," Quil groaned. Jacob punched him the arm as well as Embry.

"Don't let Paul hear you," Embry whispered. "Who knows how he'll react." They all looked around for their hot headed brother.

"I don't see Jared," Jacob commented as he turned to smile at Bella. "Bells add a piece of meat for me, please." He stuck out his bottom lip and made his eyes big.

"Fine," she huffed adding another piece to her plate. She gave him a dirty look but ended up smiling. "I'm gonna seat with Evie. Do you mind grabbing us something to drink?"

"No problem," he replied. He rubbed his hands together an anticipation of the food he was about to eat.

"I put the umbrella out for you and Bella," Charlie said as he passed Evie.

"Thanks Uncle Charlie," Evie called over her shoulder. She noticed her bag sitting on top of a blanket.

The waves were crashing several yards away. The smell of the ocean reminded Evie of home. She dropped to her knees as she carefully sat back and tried not to spill the plates of food. She smiled as she placed both plates on the blanket. Bella was looking at her as she tried to sit down. As hard as she tried not to laugh as Bella concentrated to balance the plate of food in her hands, Evie laughed. She took the plate from Bella and waited for her to sit down.

"Jake is bringing us something to drink," Bella commented in an anxious voice. She took the plate that Evie was holding for her and placed it on the blanket. "It's not funny," she slightly pouted. "You know how clumsy I can be." She moved under the umbrella.

"I wouldn't have laughed if you didn't make that face," Evie stated as she defended herself. "Besides, I think Edward and Jacob find it as a cute quality in you." She crossed her legs and took a bite of the potato salad.

Bella gave her a look. "Edward and Jacob don't want to hurt my feelings," she replied picking at her food.

Evie looked at her cousin. "So what's the deal with Edward and Jacob?" she asked. She could see Jacob loading up his plate, laughing with his friends.

"What's the deal with Dylan?" Bella shot back with an arch of her brow.

They stared at each other for a few moments. Evie could see that Bella was struggling with a choice or decision already made. By the look in her eyes, she wasn't happy. Bella could see that Evie was carrying more on her plate than any teenager should. She felt for her cousin. Even though Aunt Kathy wasn't like Renee, she was able to take care of herself and Evie, but it was the last few months that the roles were reverse and Bella knew all too well how that felt.

Evie clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. "We'll take later," she finally responded.

"Later," Bella agreed. She turned and watched as Jacob, Quil and Embry headed in their direction.

"Ladies, we thought we would grace you with our presence," Quil said in his smoothest voice. He looked at Jacob and Embry before taking a seat next to Evie. Embry shot him a look. Quil shrugged and mouthed 'What'. It wasn't his fault the only place to seat was next to Evie.

"It's your funeral," Embry muttered in a low voice. He was sitting in front of Evie and Bella. Jake of course was under the umbrella with his elbow on the blanket lying down next to Bella.

Jake handed Bella and Evie a bottle of water. Quil was eating and looking out towards the trees. He noticed Jake and Embry turned towards the trees too. They could smell Paul and Jared close by. Jake looked over at Sam, who nodded. Seth plopped down by Evie's legs and began to eat. She slowly pushed the plate of food towards him.

"I knew you weren't going to eat all that food," Jake snorted with a laugh. He lightly tapped Seth's head. "Figures she made you a plate," he shook his head.

"He looked so sad at the end of the line," Evie explained. "Besides, Bella got you extra pieces of meat and two pieces of chicken." Embry laughed while Quil fumed. They looked at Bella's plate.

"I was hungry," Bella quickly replied. They knew she was lying. "But my eyes were bigger than my stomach so I'm giving them to Jake."

"Quil," Sam yelled. He could hear Jared telling Paul to get a grip on his emotions.

Billy caught Sam's eye and nodded. Of all days for anyone to imprint, it would be today. Of course it would be Paul, the one with the worst temper and of all people it had to be his best friend's niece. The tension in the air was thick and for once he was glad that Charlie was too busy staring at Sue to notice anything else.

"Damn, what now?" Quil grumbled. He got up and threw his plate in the trash.

"Paul's having a hard time," Sam whispered. He watched Emily and Kim move towards Billy.

"Fuck," Quil mumbled under his breath, "of all days." He felt for his pack brother. No one wanted to imprint. Jared didn't' mind imprinting but Sam on the other hand was a different story. Imprinting caused a lot of damage for Sam, Emily and Leah. The Spirits really did a number on them.

Evie watched him walk away and yelled as ice went down her back. She turned giving Jacob a dirty look. "I know it was you," she muttered as she pulled the ice from her top. She playfully threw the ice at him.

Bella could feel the tension as Paul and Jared walked by with Sam and Quil right behind them. She could see the way Paul looked at Evie. It frightened her to see the hunger and need in his eyes. Seth moved forward to grab the ice from Jake and almost fell against Evie. Paul took a step towards them but Jared and Sam pulled him quickly to the tables.

Evie tried to ignore Paul but she was instantly aware of his eyes on her. Her heartbeat quickened. It seemed he was trying not to look at her, while two can play that game. She caught herself looking in his direction and quickly turned away. Damn it.

Paul leaned against the table, taking deep breaths. He could hear _her_ laughter and smell _her_ scent, honey. Why him? Why now? He moved away from Jared and Kim. Their lovey dovey mood was making him ill. He looked at the food but nothing appealed to him. Her laughter floated in the air. His hands fisted as he realized the sound of her laughter sounded nice. The wolf inside him growled and clawed. The wolf wanted _her_, he didn't. He looked up when he saw a plate of food in front of him. Emily gave him a smile as he took the plate.

"Let's eat by the rocks," Jared suggested. He noticed Paul was reluctant to move. "You can still see her from the rocks but far enough away that her scent won't be as strong," he whispered. Paul followed Jared and tried not to look in _her_ direction.

Seth, Embry and Jacob picked up the empty plates and threw them away. Evie grabbed her bag and pulled out her towel. She moved a few feet away from the blanket and spread the towel on the sand. Bella threw ice at her.

"What is your problem?" Evie asked laughing. She tossed the ice at Bella.

"Why did you move over there?" Embry asked as he sat on the blanket. Jacob took a seat near Bella.

"I'm not allowed to sun bathe near the albino," Evie replied with a laugh as ice hit her in the back.

"I am not an albino," Bella snapped playfully. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Evie.

"Leave Bells alone," Jacob said with a smile. "Her skin color is perfect." He gave Bella a side hug and she smiled at him.

Embry and Evie threw ice at Jacob. "Of course you would say that," Embry scoffed trying not to laugh.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jacob and Bella said in unison. They looked at each other and laughed.

"Wow," Evie said with a shake of her head. "That is scary." She pulled her top over her head and threw it in the bag. She lied down on the towel and closed her eyes.

Paul noticed her taking her shirt off. He couldn't help but admire the curve of her breasts and flat toned stomach. She was perfect. His wolf howled inside at the sight of her. He also noticed that she was attracting the attention of the rest of his pack brothers. He shifted over on the rocks as he tried to get control of his emotions.

"I brought more wat…whoa," Seth said before he caught a glimpse of Evie in her bikini top. He heard a soft growl and noticed Paul staring in their direction.

Evie opened her eyes. "Thanks for the water Seth," she smiled up at him as he slowly handed her a bottle. She noticed he had the same tattoo as Jacob. She glanced at the guys and noticed they all had the same tattoo. It must be a tribe thing.

Jacob got up and headed towards Paul. He gave Embry a look, telling him to stay near Evie and Bella. Paul was already on his feet with a dangerous look on his face. He could see Jared holding onto Paul's arm. Damn his hot head temper. First, he's pissed that he imprinted, second because he doesn't want his imprint, lair and third all Seth did was offer Evie water.

Evie loved the feel of the hot sun on her skin. She could hear Embry and Bella whispering but she didn't know what they were saying and she didn't care. The past three months of being indoors while her mom visited the doctor or had a procedure for her cancer, kept her away from the beach. She would never complain about being with her mom, honestly she wouldn't be anywhere else but at her mom's side. But she did miss the sun, the crash of the waves and her board under her feet as she rode a wave. She was about to turn over when she felt a shadow of something blocking the sun on her face.

"What the hell are you doing?" Charlie angrily asked. He'd been watching Bella and Evie laughing with Jacob and his friends. He even laughed when they were throwing ice at each other. But when every guy on the beach turned as Evie took her top off, that's when he got up. He glared at Billy when he called him old fart and laughed at him.

Evie opened her eyes and smiled. "I'm getting a tan," she replied. She heard Bella giggle.

"I can see that," he answered. "What the hell are you wearing?" He looked at Seth and Embry as they quickly looked away. Bella had her hand over her mouth.

"It's called a bikini. See," she said lowering the top of her shorts to show him she had the bottoms on. "I was going to take my shorts off but-."

"Leave your shorts on," Charlie quickly snapped. He looked at Embry and Seth to make sure they weren't looking at Evie.

"Quit bothering the kids and leave them alone you old fool," Billy shouted. Charlie glared in Billy's direction.

"Well duh Uncle Charlie," Evie retorted. "I only wanted to tan my stomach." She could see how upset he was getting. "Do you want me to put my shirt back on?" she asked as she reached for her bag.

"Yes, please," he answered in a softer tone. She put out a dark green tank top instead of her shirt. "Thank you," he smiled. He gave Seth and Embry a look before walking away.

Bella busted out laughing. "I have never seen him act that way about a bikini before," she was holding her side as she laughed.

"Yeah, I didn't realize Chief Swan was such a prude," Embry laughed.

Seth shook his head as he laughed. He looked up as Jacob waved to him. He got up and ran towards them but stopped a few feet away when he saw Paul's face. Sam tossed Seth a football and patted him on the back.

"Hey, I think the guys are putting a game together," Leah said as she tapped Embry on the shoulder. She sat down and stretched out her legs.

Evie noticed the way Embry looked at Leah. Who could blame him? She was beautiful. Her hair was blowing in the slight wind. She had her eyes closed and her head slightly tilted back.

Evie giggled and snapped her fingers in front of Embry face. "I think the guys are calling you," she said and pointed towards Jacob, Sam, Jared, Paul and Seth.

"Oh, yeah right, um bye," he mumbled as he took off.

They watched as Embry caught the football Seth threw. It looked like they were dividing into teams. Sam, Paul, Collin and Quil were standing opposite of Jacob, Embry, Seth and Jared. It looked like Brady was the referee, which explained the dirty look he gave Jacob. Embry took off his shirt and Leah quickly looked away. Evie and Bella looked at each other and nodded. That was something else for them to talk about later.

The guys were running up and down the beach. Emily and Kim walked over and took a seat next to Evie. Leah turned slightly so she didn't have to see Emily. Anyone who saw these guys run around could truly appreciate the male body.

"Anyone want something to drink?" Evie asked walking backwards.

Paul saw Evie's back as Sam threw the football. The man in him appreciated the lightly tanned legs. They were toned and beautiful. They tapered off to a nice little plump ass that was begging for a squeeze. He imagined his hands moving up her calves and then lightly caressing her kissable thighs before squeezing that delicious ass. The wolf and the man wanted to bite that ass. Maybe imprinting wasn't that bad. As he continued to think about those legs and ass, he noticed Quil was arguing with Seth which caused Quil to miss the football. He ran towards Evie as the football continued towards her. He wrapped his arms around her just as she turned. They fell to the ground as the ball went over their heads. He could feel her soft breast against him.

Evie felt warm hands on her waist as she turned. She saw dark brown skin as her hands spread out in front of her. The rock hard chest full of muscles felt great under her fingertips. She slowly looked up into a set of deep pool of onyx liquid. She could feel ever muscle of Paul pressing into her. The butterflies in her stomach were fluttering in rapid succession with her heartbeat. She wanted to run her fingers through his silky black hair. His breath fanned her face and his lips were centimeters away. She could see the concern on his face but it slowly slipped away.

"What the hell?" he asked in a pissed off tone. He could tell she wanted him. He could smell it. "Don't you watch were your walking?" He watched her but she didn't respond or move. He began to panic. What if she was hurt? "Evie say something," he whispered in a worried voice.

Evie couldn't understand how he could look concerned one second and then pissed off the next. She wasn't expecting this quick change of emotion from him. "Can't breathe," she whispered. The dark hungry look in his eyes left her breathless. She could feel people around them.

"Either kiss her or let her up lover boy," Billy shouted. A few people laughed.

"Shut up you drunk," Charlie yelled at Billy. He turned to see Paul still on top of Evie. "Kindly get off my niece Paul," he shouted as he stood up making sure Paul did as he was told.

Paul quickly got up but he pulled Evie up with him. He held on to her as she got her footing. He couldn't help but notice how small she was next to him. She barely came up to his chest. Her honey scent surrounded him as her hair brushed against his fingers. He wanted to touch her lips. Her hazel eyes were almost dark green. She was simply beautiful. As much as he hated imprinting, a part of him wanted her. His hand moved on its own to her cheek.

She noticed his hand next to her cheek. "Next time learn to catch the ball," she retorted as she pushed his hand away from her. She turned around and headed to the ice chest.

Paul couldn't help but smile. He could hear her heart pounding as her cheeks burned red.

* * *

><p>The weather was perfect the rest of the day. The sun was out all day and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Everyone enjoyed the sunset as the bonfire was lit. The moon was full and giving off enough light to see the waves crashing on to the shore. Bella sat next to Jacob, her personal sun as a cool breeze floated by. They were keeping their voices low so the others didn't hear their conversation.<p>

"Do you really think that's why Evie didn't feel the imprint?" Bella asked. She was holding one of Jacob's hands between hers.

"If Edward couldn't read her mind then maybe it's blocking the imprint too," Jacob watched as Evie sat on the rocks looking out towards the ocean. "Maybe that's why I never imprinted on you. Maybe it's blocking out the imprint." He kept his eyes on Evie. The thought of seeing another rejection in Bella's eyes was a little too much right now.

"Jake," she sighed as she squeezed his hand. "Edward can't read my mind either and Paul was still able to imprint on Evie."

This was the issue that kept her from changing her decision. Jacob could still imprint. She was afraid to take a chance. What if they only had six months, a year, five years, ten years, fifteen years or twenty years, it still wouldn't be enough time with him before his imprint took him away from her. When Edward left her, she only managed to survive because of Jake. If he imprinted and left her, there was no way she would survive. It would completely destroy her. She knew that was the biggest part of her decision to stay with Edward. It wasn't just love; it was the fear of abandonment. She could lie to herself and everyone else but the truth will always be there staring her in the face.

But the little voice in the back of her mind was thinking maybe Jacob was right. Maybe the reason he never imprinted was because whatever was blocking Edward from reading her mind might be blocking Jacob from imprinting on her. Even though Paul imprinted on Evie maybe whatever was blocking her mind from Edward was stronger than Evie's. A small part of her already believed it. The thought of it being true was overwhelming. She leaned closer to Jacob and let his warmth chase away the fear of imprinting while she savored the moment with him.

"I'm sorry Bells," Jacob whispered as he wrapped his arms around her. He didn't want to ruin the day. He was hoping today would open her eyes and she would finally see how well she fits in here, with him.

"Oh Jake," she sighed as she placed her head on his chest. The sound of his heartbeat echoed along with hers. How much more of a sign did she need? "I'm sorry. I caused so much trouble." She felt him kiss her head.

"You didn't cause trouble honey. It's my fault," he whispered softly. He stroked her hair and inhaled her strawberry scent.

"No, it's me," she whispered. She knew he could hear her. Tears began to slide down her cheeks. "I've been an idiot. I've…I don't even know where to start." She was biting her lip.

Jacob took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "How about we just enjoy the time we have, with no interruptions." She nodded against his chest.

Evie looked away from Jacob and Bella. They were both idiots for fighting their feelings for one another. There must be a reason they aren't together. She had a strong feeling it had to do with Bella. Her phone vibrated and she quickly pulled it out, another text message from Dylan. She took a deep breath and scrolled her contacts. She couldn't keep putting this off. He answered on the first ring.

"It's about time my beautiful girlfriend called me back," Dylan's said in a playful tone. "I've miss you so much baby." She could picture him lying on his bed. His body was nice and toned from the various sports he played. A picture of Paul playing football shirtless crossed her mind. She rolled her eyes and took a deep breath. Usually the sounds of the waves calmed her down but not tonight.

"Yeah, I figured I call you before I go to Hawaii with my dad in a few days. But you didn't leave me much of choice," Evie scoffed. "What kind of boyfriend threatens to call his girlfriend's sick mom?" she asked in disgust.

"You have a boyfriend," Paul hissed. How the hell could she have a boyfriend?

Evie turned to see Paul looking down at her. His hands were in fists and the look in his eyes was murderous. Evie lowered the phone. "Yes," she replied in a small voice. The look in his dark eyes, frightened her for a moment. They looked black and lethal.

"Why didn't you tell me you had a boyfriend?" he snapped. His wolf was howling inside. He began to shake at the thought of someone putting their hands on what was theirs.

Evie began to scoot away from him but stood up instead. From the position of the rock they were standing on, she was eye level with Paul. She stopped herself from looking at his bare chest. She could hear Dylan's voice coming from her phone.

"I'm sorry I didn't realize I had to tell you," she bit out sarcastically. He had been a complete ass to her since they met. Why the hell should he care if she has a boyfriend? Not that Dylan would be her boyfriend much longer. She gave him a fake smile. "Paul, even though it is none of your damn business, I have a boyfriend. His name is Dylan Andrews," she tried to keep her voice calm but the urge to yell at him was strong. She pulled her phone up. "Would you like to say Hi to him?"

He looked at the phone for a second. The thought of breaking it crossed his mind. But he could see Jacob and Sam slowly approaching him. When he looked up, the first thing he saw was her lips. They were only a few inches away. He wanted just one small taste of them. Without thinking his hand went to the back of her head and the other went to her waist. He pulled her towards him as his lips met hers. He felt her resist for a moment but she let him open her mouth with a flick of his tongue. He tasted the sweet honey of her mouth and he was lost.

Evie tried to pull away but his hands held her firmly in place. When she tried to protest he took it as an opportunity to deepen the kiss. She couldn't stop herself from leaning into him and feeling his muscled chest against her breasts. Her fingers ran through his silky black hair as her other hand held on to his strong arm. The kiss was pure fire that left her burning and aching for more. She couldn't even begin to describe the taste of him. She only knew that he was the best flavor she had ever tasted.

He wanted to move away from her but the wolf pulled her flush against him. The feel of her body made him aware of her full breasts pressing against his bare chest. His hand wandered down and brushed the side of her breast. They both moaned at the sensation that left them feeling slightly weak in the knees. Just one more taste, he told himself. He only wanted one more taste.

Both her hands were in his hair enjoying the feel of his silky hair. She lightly brushed the back of his neck with her fingers and felt the softness of his skin. She slowly moved her hands to his shoulders and let them slide down to his chiseled chest. He moved closer and her hands wrapped around his neck. They seemed to fit perfectly. Her mind was saying they had an audience but her body wouldn't listen.

His hands moved to her slender waist as her hands moved to his arms. He took one more taste of her delicious mouth and gently nibbled on her bottom lip. They were both breathing hard as their foreheads touched. This wasn't supposed to happen. He wasn't supposed to feel this way. He wasn't supposed to want her. He could feel everyone watching them, except for Charlie and Billy who were more or less passed out drunk.

"Evie," Paul's husky voice was full of want and need. He wanted another taste as her breath washed over him. He needed to feel every inch of her. It wasn't just the wolf that wanted and needed her. They both wanted her, they both needed her to breath but he wasn't giving in to the Spirits.

"Paul," Evie replied in a soft whisper. She felt completely raw from the heat of the kiss. Her lips were aching for his, her body was screaming for him.

Paul had to hold his breath for a moment. The combination of her voice and breath was pure sex to him. The wolf wanted her. "Stay away from me," he begged. He kissed her forehead as he slowly pulled away from her.

Evie watched him walk away towards the darkness of the trees. Her feet moved forward as her mind screamed for him to stop. The jolt of coldness had her wrapping her arms around herself as all the warmth she felt before was gone.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Thank you for the reviews and for everyone who is following the story as well as marking it as your favorite. Have a great day everyone...india8**


	3. Chapter 3

***I don't own any of the characters from Twilight. They belong to Stephenie Meyer. I only own the original characters in this story.**

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><p>Chapter 3<p>

Evie woke up with a sore throat and swollen eyes. She looked at the clock and groaned. It was only five in the morning. She slowly got up and grabbed her travel bag. The light padded steps she made shuffling across the bedroom and through the hallway reminded her of when she was little and would climb into her parents' bed. She closed the door to the bathroom and brushed her teeth. She took some medicine for her throat and placed a cool wash cloth on her face.

Last night began to replay. Hearing Dylan yelling through her phone snapped her back to attention. Telling him that it was over and to never call her was the only thing she could do after he cheated on her with a supposedly good friend of hers. He was speechless for a good thirty seconds. By that time Bella, Jacob and Embry were standing in front of her. Embry took the phone from her. She had no idea what he said to Dylan. Bella held her as she began to cry.

The drive back was a bit of a blur. She cried all the way home curled up next to Bella resting her head on her shoulder. Bella rubbed her arm and pushed her hair away from her face. Jacob drove them home while poor Embry followed behind driving a drunken Charlie in Jacob's car. They both tried to comfort her but the pain drowned out everything around her. She held onto Bella as they climbed the stairs. Her body ached from the sobs that pounded through her.

Just thinking about it had tears spring forward and she still didn't understand why. The cloth fell into the sink as she concentrated on pushing the tears back before they fell. She pulled her hair back and clipped it. She blew out a frustrated breath. She was glad she took a shower after they got home. The house felt too cold to take a shower.

The house was almost quiet. Charlie's snoring sounded like a jet engine taking off. She tiptoed back to the room as quietly as possible. Bella was still asleep after staying up with her most of the night. She grabbed her blanket and phone and headed downstairs. It got colder with each step she took. She pulled the blanket closer to her body as she sat on the couch.

Her phone began to beep and vibrate as she rolled her eyes. She knew it was Dylan, her mom texted her last night telling her Dylan wanted her to call him. Her mom explained the doctors wanted to run some tests in the morning. There was no point in reading his text messages. The only missed calls she had were from him too. She deleted all the messages as well as the voicemails. Her phone beeped and vibrated again. She switched the notification to sound only. She sighed and opened the text.

***Dylan: Who's Paul? **

Evie touched her lips at the mention of Paul. She could still feel his soft lips on her. The taste, oh God, the taste of him was intoxicating. Her phone beeped again.

***Dylan: R U fukin him? **

She thought of Paul's hands on her, touching her, making her feel things she never felt before. He was pure sex. That was the only way to describe him. She gasped when she felt something touch her face.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," Bella whispered. Concern was written all over her face. She hated seeing her cousin so upset. She sat down next to Evie and leaned her head on her shoulder. They both looked at the phone when it beeped. Evie hit a button to read the text.

***Dylan: This is not over**

"Boys suck," Bella scoffed as she read the text.

Evie gave her a small smile. "Yeah they do," she whispered. She unwrapped herself from the blanket and covered both of them.

Bella sighed as her phone call from Edward last night floated around in her head. She was still furious with him. How dare he tell her to fix up Jacob and Evie? He kept going on and on about what a great couple they could be if I only encouraged them to give it a chance. When I explained how Paul imprinted on Evie and how everything played out, he said I was overreacting to the situation. Edward simply didn't understand or care how completely devastated Evie was when Paul walked away after he kissed her. The only thing that didn't make the whole ordeal worse was Charlie was too drunk to notice anything.

The room slowly began to lighten up as the sun made a brief appearance through an opening from the living room curtains. Dark clouds slowly crept over, moving in as they shoved the sun behind them. A slow lazy drizzle began to lightly fall. They watched quietly from the couch. The view from the partly opened curtain seemed to mirror both their moods. They scooted closer to each other as if to repel the coldness that was lurking close by to drag them both into the darkness.

"Do you want to talk?" Bella asked quietly.

"I don't even know where to begin," Evie whispered. Tears began to blur her vision.

"I think we both know this has nothing to do with Dylan," Bella mocked lightly.

Evie laughed softly and sighed. "No, it doesn't. Besides he's easy to explain. The bastard cheated on me," she said bitterly. She turned to look Bella in the eye. "How's it even possible that everything Dylan did is nothing, nothing compared to the hurt I felt when Paul walked away from me? The pain I still feel." She rubbed the ache in her chest.

"How did you feel?" Bella asked cautiously. She looked at Evie and felt her heart ache for her cousin. Evie had the same shattered look she had when Jacob rejected her after he first phased and was told to stay away from her.

"Honestly I feel a part of me is missing, which doesn't make sense," Evie replied sadly. "But the other part of me feels relieved that he doesn't want me around. I don't think I could handle another rejection from him. Which of course doesn't make any sense at all," she sighed letting out a frustrated breath. "It would imply I want him, which I don't." Bella gave her a look, as if to say she didn't believe her. She didn't believe herself either.

"Guys are…well not all guys, but most of them are… they are… while," Bella stumbled for the right words. Paul was intense, hot tempered and sometimes too quick to judge a situation. It often left him fighting with his pack brothers until he calmed down and listened to the whole story.

"Jerks," Evie suggested. She stood up and looked out the window. The rain had picked up.

"Yeah they are," Bella whispered. "They tell you to stay away from your best friend because he's too dangerous," she bit off sarcastically. "They make you feel weak and insecure. Always questioning your choices and decisions," she angrily spit out. She barely registered the pain from her nails digging into the palm of her hands. "Telling you they are only doing what's best for you," she hissed. "But what they are really doing is taking your choices and options away from you because they think you are too fragile to lift a finger." Her face was flushed and her cheeks were tainted red.

"Whoa," Evie muttered with her hands in the air. "I get the feeling we are talking about two different things." She waved her hands in front of Bella's face.

"What?" Bella asked with a weird look on her face. She blinked a couple of times. "Sorry, I umm…what?" She was biting her bottom lip.

"Who were you talking about just a moment ago?" Evie asked. "I get the feeling it was about Edward." She walked back to the couch and pulled her knees to her chest.

"Your right," Bella whispered as she opened her hands. "I guess looking at your situation kind of made me look at my situation." She quickly sat down on the couch and turned to face Evie. "I'm sorry. I know you have enough to worry about and here I am dumping my problems on you."

"Don't be sorry," Evie quickly said. "If you need to talk, I'm here to listen." She gave Bella a small smile. "It actually took my mind off Paul." She took a deep ragged breath and she rubbed her chest. "How can someone you barely know cause so much pain?"

Bella opened her mouth to respond when the house phone rang. "Hold that thought," she mumbled as she scrambled off the couch. She knew they would have to explain everything to Evie. But if she and Paul could be just friends, maybe Evie didn't have to know the truth. It's not like Paul wants an imprint. Not to mention he doesn't really project the good guy image. He was more of the love them and leave them type. Something she did not want for her cousin.

Evie walked to the window with her arms wrapped around her middle. The rain continued to pour, leaving puddles of water and mud. She glanced at the clock on the fireplace and was surprised to see it was past seven. She touched her lips and thought of Paul. His smile when he walked into Emily's house was beautiful. The way his shirt fit over his body, accentuating his shoulders and arms. Her breath caught when she remembered his shirtless chest on top of her. The way her body seemed to fit perfectly with his. She was brought out of her daydream by the sound of someone coming down the stairs.

"Thanks for the coffee kiddo, but I don't have time to eat," Charlie stated as he reached for his belt.

"What's going on?" Evie asked walking into the kitchen. Bella handed her a cup of coffee.

"Sorry, there's an emergency at the station," he said adjusting his belt. "Bella do me a favor and phone Sue," he said pulling a piece of paper out his pocket. "Let her know I had to go into work and I won't be able to fix her washer." He handed Bella a piece of paper with a number on it. His cheeks were red.

"Sure dad, no problem," she answered with a little laugh. "Oh, I made you a couple of breakfast sandwiches." She handed him a brown bag. "There is also a thermos with coffee."

"Thanks Bells," he said with a small smile. "What are you girls doing today?" he asked heading to the front door.

"Um…we are going to Edwards's house," Evie replied. She took a deep breath and coughed.

Charlie stopped and turned around. Bella took a step back and bumped into Evie, who landed on her butt with a thud. She scowled at Bella as Charlie helped her up.

"I don't want you two driving out in this weather," he scolded. "I don't want you two out there at all," he stated as he pointed outside.

"We're not," Bella quickly responded. She looked at Evie. "She had a rough night and I thought we could stay in and catch up." It was true about Evie having a rough night, but she also wanted to avoid Edward.

"I'm sorry you had a bad night," he said worried. He didn't like the idea of his niece having a rough night. All this talk was bringing up old memories of the months Bella walked around like a zombie. Especially those nightmares that had her screaming most of the night, making him feel helpless to do anything. "I think you made the right decision to stay indoors. I will see you both later." He quickly ran to his cruiser. He glanced at the house before heading to work.

Bella and Evie watched as Charlie drove away. They only had a few seconds of quiet before the phone started to ring.

"Crap," Bella mumbled as she went to answer the phone. She had a feeling it was Edward.

Evie fell to the ground holding her chest. It hurt to breath. She heard a scream and then warm hands and arms were holding her. Then nothing but darkness closed her off from the rest of the light.

* * *

><p>Paul patrolled all night. He shook his head as images from the night before flashed around. He walked away from Evie as quickly as he could. The urge to claim her as theirs was strong. As soon as he got to the trees that ran along the beach, he phased. He ran a quick patrol around La Push knowing Evie was still there, in the same spot where he abandoned her. He ran back to see Bella holding her as they walked to the truck. When he saw the tears she was crying, he knew they weren't for him. How could they be, she had a boyfriend. There was no reason she should care about him. It was plain to see and feel that the imprint was one sided.<p>

Yet, he found himself following her to the Swan House. He needed to make sure that she got home safe. He was a few feet away from the tree line that bordered the house. He sat there, listening to her cry. Sam and Jared showed up to check on him. They explained what happen after he left, even though he knew. He could hear the leech lover talking on her phone when the stench hit him. The thought of them near his imprint drove him crazy. Sam and Jared blocked his path from that damn fortune teller. The big one, Emmett or something, he tried to cross onto Quileute land when they were chasing that red head a few months ago. He had a stupid smirk on his face. Sam gave Paul an Alpha order that had him growling before taking off.

The fresh air helped clear his head but he felt the pull to _her._ The thought of continuing past the Canadian Border floated around but he knew he couldn't be away from her much longer. The pounding of his paws hitting the ground seemed to echo. He quickly phased and put his cutoff shorts on. He ran his hands down his face as the pull of the imprint increased. The sky was dark as the rain began to soak everything.

He felt like a little bitch that couldn't think or make decisions on his own. When did Paul Lahote run away from a female? Hell, the ladies all knew that Paul Lahote didn't give a damn about them after he enjoyed a piece of them. But he made sure they enjoyed their time with Paul Lahote. It was a guaranteed fun time for everyone. He was Paul Fucking Lahote; he could have any woman he wanted. And when did Paul Lahote start talking in third person? He let out a frustrated growl. Why him? Why did he have to imprint? Even if he had to imprint why did it have to the leech lover's cousin.

Fuck, this was Evie's fault. They weren't even a couple and she already had him confused and distracted. Those damn hypnotic hazel eyes. Those kissable full lips were giving him ideas. He took a deep breath and then moaned when he remembered that fuckable body pressed against him. She felt so good under him. He wondered what she would look like riding him hard and fast as her tits bounced in his face while that ass smacked his….FUCK! This is Baby Alpha's fault. He and that leech lover brought her into his life.

Without thinking, his fist hit a nearby tree. He cradled his hand and bit his lip to keep from yelling. Pain shot through his arm as his skin opened. The blood oozed out but didn't flow too much. He shook his head as he watched his hand slowly mend. Another plus for being a wolf, the healing process was quick. He needed to head back. Still cradling his hand, he began to walk.

He was thinking about phasing. Screw the broken knuckle he thought before he was knocked on his ass. He clutched at his chest as pain began to flow through his body like liquid fire. He was lying on the ground panting and shaking like an addict. The whole time his mind was racing. Did something happen to Evie? Is she hurt? Oh dear God, please let her be okay.

Time seemed to go slow but eventually the pain receded and he was able to move. He quickly phased and began to call out to his pack brothers. It seemed no one was phased at the moment. How is that even possible? With everything that has gone on, there were at least a couple of them phased. How could he be so stupid? He should have stayed closer to her? All his thoughts were focused on Evie that he didn't hear Sam calling his name.

"_Paul stop,"_ Sam's Alpha voice vibrated in Paul's head. His legs buckled and he was lying flat on the muddy ground. _"Sue is with her. Jacob and Leah are handling the situation."_

"_What happen to Evie?"_ Paul asked as he got up. He shook his head and began to run. The pounding from his paws was sending mud and water everywhere.

"_We're not sure. Sue is examining her,"_ Sam said. He was running patrol around the border of La Push. _"Jake said she's awake and appears fine."_

A flood of emotions washed over him. _"Thanks."_ He pictured her face making his heart beat faster.

There were so many thoughts running through his mind. Everything seemed to hit him at once. What the hell was going on? He didn't feel the agonizing pain he felt earlier. He was able to breathe. The sound of the rain hitting the ground made him run faster. Sam stayed quiet and let him sort through everything. He could smell the factories on the outskirt of Port Angeles. He was getting closer to her. He felt Brady phase.

"_Seth called,"_ Brady choked out as he yawned. _"It seemed Billy, Sue and Old Quil met after the bonfire last night. They were talking about Paul's imprint on Evie. They were worried about Evie after you left her."_ Paul cringed as Brady pictured Evie in Bella's arms crying. "_Old Quil has never heard of an imprint not connecting. Sue volunteered to check on her."_ He could see where Sam ran across the road towards First Beach.

"_How did Old Quil know?" _Paul asked agitated. The old man always knew when something was going on.

"_My dad called him,"_ Jacob stated. _"He wanted Old Quil's advice. There is nothing written about half an imprint or at least that's what they are calling it." _Though the pack link he could see a blur of trees as Paul ran through the forest.

"_Is it true Leah bite Doc Fangs leg off?" _Collin asked as he phased.

Paul stuttered stepped at the mention of the head leech and skidded into a tree. _"What?" _he growled getting up. _"Why the fuck is he near Evie?"_ His ferocious howling had his pack brothers flat on the ground.

"_Damn it Lahote. Enough,"_ Jacob shouted. Everyone could hear the slight Alpha tone coming from him. _"Collin, Leah didn't bite anyone"_ he stated. _"Paul, the council members were concerned about your imprinting. This is a first for them and us." _Idiot.

"_What the hell are you talking about?"_ Paul snapped. _"Sam and Jared have both imprinted."_

"_Paul shut up and let Jacob explain,"_ Sam ordered. He waited a second before telling Jacob to continue.

"_The council was concerned that Evie didn't feel the imprint like Emily and Kim. I volunteered to bring Sue and Leah tagged along,"_ Jacob explained. He heard Paul scoff but ignored him. _"I heard Bella scream and was able to catch Evie before she hit the ground. I took her to Bella's room and Sue immediately began to examine her. She was conscious when I headed downstairs."_ He walked around the perimeter of the Swan House.

"_Thanks for being there," _Paul said. _"That still doesn't explain why Doc Leech is with my girl?"_ he questioned. _"Not to mention, what situation were you and Leah taking care of?"_ He didn't sense any problems when he ran patrol or when he was outside Evie's window.

"_The Bloodsucker called Bella when the Pixie couldn't see her. When he called, Bella screamed and was yelling my name,"_ Jacob said with a bit of anger. _"He grabbed his 'Daddy' and came over to check on her."_ Jacob's anger got the better of him.

A scene of Jacob and Edward getting into each other's face, well Leah tried to separate them played. They could hear Bella yelling for them to stop. Leah moved Bella out of the way when Jacob and Edward began to argue and push each other. It was Carlisle who finally pushed them a part. He scolded Edward for jumping to conclusions in regards to Bella's safety with Jacob. He apologized to Jacob for his son's behavior.

Bella explained to Carlisle what happen to Evie. He immediately offered his assistance. Jacob agreed to let Carlisle in the house only if Leah accompanied him and Edward stayed downstairs. He agreed with a look to Edward and followed Leah and Bella into the house.

"_I only phased to keep you informed. I'm heading back into the house for an update,"_ Jacob said as the image faded away.

"_Thanks for keeping her safe," _Paul said as he approached Forks. _"Tell Leah too."_

"_You're welcome and I will,"_ Jacob answered. _"You might want to head home and change. I think Charlie will be here soon. I don't want to give him any reason to kick me or you out."_

"_What makes you think I am heading over there?" _Paul tried to control his thoughts, but he was having a hard time the closer he got to Evie.

Sam laughed as well as Brady and Collin. They stayed as quiet while Jacob told them as well as showed them what happen. But they could all sense what Paul was feeling for Evie. He tried to hide it but they could feel it.

"_Paul, Jacob is right,"_ Sam laughed. _"I don't think the Chief would appreciate you walking around his house in just your cutoffs. Besides what would your girl think?" _He could feel the anger boiling inside of Paul. He laughed one more time before he phased back. Collin and Brady joined their Alpha and phased back.

"_I did not call her my girl,"_ Paul growled.

"_Yes, you did," _Jacob said. _"When you asked why the doc was with your girl,"_ he pointed out. _"Admit it, you like Evie."_ Jacob laughed and quickly phased before Paul could say anything.

Paul raced back to La Push to change.

* * *

><p>Evie looked at Dr. Cullen when he rechecked her vitals. His hands were cold but that wasn't what bothered her. It was his looks. He had movie star looks, but he could also pass for an angel. Not to mention, his eyes were the same color as Edward and Alice. Bella said he was their adopted dad but that doesn't explain the eyes. Sue removed the thermometer from her mouth, interrupting her thought process.<p>

"Your heart rate seems to have increased slightly," Carlisle stated with a bit of concern in his voice. He was cataloguing all of Evie's symptoms.

"That's because you're touching me," Evie quickly replied before biting her bottom lip. She felt her cheeks get warm as Carlisle softly laughed. "Sorry, it's just, you're really good-looking."

"Evie," Bella whispered with embarrassment.

Carlisle continued to laugh as Sue shook her head in disapproval. Leah rolled her eyes and gave Evie a look she couldn't quite figure out.

"Sorry," Evie whispered. "He looks like an angel." She slapped her hand over her mouth.

"Finally," Leah snickered. "She's quiet." Evie gave her dirty look.

"Evie," Bella groaned as her cheeks turned red.

Alice slipped into the room as Leah took a step closer to her mom. Bella unconsciously moved closer to Leah. Evie noticed but didn't say anything. Leah looked at Bella for a moment. She sighed and moved between Bella and Alice.

"I'm gonna be quiet now," Evie mumbled. Her face continued to turn red.

Carlisle shook his head as he quietly laughed. He could hear Evie's heart rate return to its normal rate with minimal irregularity. He studied her. She was alert. Her lungs were a bit sluggish. There was a tiny whizzing sound when he checked earlier and it seemed to have grown just a tad. He gave Sue the stethoscope.

Sue quickly put the stethoscope on and checked Evie's lungs. She heard a very tiny whizzing sound. She didn't hear that before. She checked both sides again and nodded at Carlisle. She didn't like being this close to him, especially knowing what he is but there was no way she could leave him alone with the girls. She also couldn't deny that he was an excellent doctor.

Carlisle put the stethoscope around his neck when Sue was done. "Have you ever had asthma?" he asked as he wrote down her vitals.

Bella went cold as an image of Evie being carried by her dad into the ER. She had an asthma attack when they visited her and Renee in Phoenix. That was years ago. She leaned closer to Leah. The heat from Leah seemed to warm her up.

"When I was a kid," Evie replied. Her lungs felt fine. She hasn't had an asthma attack in eight years. "Does my asthma have something to do with me passing out?"

"When you have an asthma attack and you're sick, there is a possibility of puncturing a hole in your lung," Carlisle explained. "I won't be sure until I run a few tests." He closed his medical bag.

Alice sensed Bella panic. "She'll be fine. Carlisle will take care of her," she whispered. "Relax Bella."

"But I'm not sick," Evie protested pushing herself into a sitting position.

"How do you expect Bella not to worry?" Leah whispered. "Her Aunt has Lung Cancer and now her cousin is having problems with her lungs. Of course she is going to worry." Alice glared at Leah before turning away.

"You may not feel sick but your lungs have a whizzing sound," Sue stated as she took a seat next to her. "It's very tiny but it's enough to cause concern." She was holding Evie's hand.

Evie played with the hem of her shirt. She concentrated on the hem for a minute. Her mom was going to freak out. Her dad was another story. She raised her eyes and looked at Carlisle then at Sue.

"I'll go on one condition," Evie said looking Sue in the eyes.

"What is it?" she asked with a smile.

"You have to promise not to tell my mom. I know Uncle Charlie needs to know maybe my dad but not my mom," Evie said holding both of Sue's hands.

"I'm not sure," Sue began to say before Evie cut her off.

"My mom is terminal," Evie blurted out. "She only has six months, nor more than a year." She pushed the tears back. Now was not the time to fall apart.

"Cancer?" Sue asked. She knew her mother was sick but Charlie never mentioned from what.

"Yes, lung cancer," Evie replied as she looked at her. "She tried to hide it from me. But I've been with her for the last two years of appointments, test and surgeries. I know everything about her cancer. If she finds out about this hole in my lung…" She couldn't talk as she pushed away the tears that threaten to fall.

"I can't, I mean," Sue stumbled to find the right words. As a mom she would want to know if her children were sick or injured.

"Uncle Charlie won't listen to me or Bella," Evie continued. "I know the only reason my mom sent me here was to get her affairs in order. The treatment she is having will only alleviate the pain she is in." She released Sue's hands. "If she knows, it will just worry her and her health will deteriorate faster. Please." She looked at Sue and Carlisle for help.

"Okay but if this turns into something serious," Sue said looking at Evie and Bella. "I will call your mother personally." She gave Evie and Bella a look that meant she was serious.

"Okay," Bella and Evie agreed.

The sound of tires screeching announced Charlie's arrival. His footsteps could be heard hitting the pavement as water splashed. He opened the front door and headed for the stairs. He stopped when he noticed Edward and Jacob.

"What the hell is going on?" Charlie barked. He tried to hide the panic look on his face. "Where is everyone?"

Edward stood up. "My father and Sue Clearwater are upstairs with Evie. Bella, Alice and Leah are upstairs too." He took a step forward but stopped when Jacob stood up in front of him.

"Evie's okay Charlie," Jacob said cutting Edward off. "We'll wait here." Jacob could see how distraught Charlie was becoming.

Charlie nodded and headed upstairs. His heart was pounding as he recalled the vague details Sue had given him earlier. Something about Evie's lungs or was it asthma. Kathy didn't need this right now. Her only child couldn't be sick too.

"Charlie," Sue gasped as he walked through the door.

"What's going on?" he asked looking around the room. Bella and Leah were standing close to Sue and Evie. Alice was whispering to her father.

Carlisle finished his conversation with Alice. "It seems Evie's asthma caused a bit of a problem in her lungs," Carlisle answered. He watched Charlie kneel down in front of Evie.

"It's not…" Charlie choked up. He couldn't even say it. His worst fear of losing his niece as well as his sister was too much to bear at the moment.

"No, I don't believe it's that," Carlisle responded knowing what Charlie was thinking. He noticed Charlie turn and wipe a tear away.

"So what's the next step?" Charlie asked in almost a whisper.

"Evie's agreed to go to the hospital for some tests," Sue stated "But she ummm…" Sue looked at Evie before looking at Charlie as she scrambled to find the right words. "She doesn't want her mom to know just yet," she blurted out as fast as she could.

Charlie opened his mouth and then closed it. He was thinking the same thing before he walked in. Even if this wasn't serious, Kathy's health would still be affected. He couldn't risk it.

"Dad," Bella put her hand on his shoulder. "Aunt Kathy has enough to worry about and Evie doesn't want to add to it." She gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"Please," Evie whispered. She held his hands tightly.

It broke his heart to know that Evie would rather go through this without her mother. She would rather keep her mother as stress free as possible. Evie was a lot like Bella in regards of taking care of her mother. The only difference was Kathy was aware of everything that affected her daughter where Renee was almost oblivious to Bella.

"I won't say anything. If Dr. Cullen and Sue think it's an easy fix, your mom doesn't need to know," Charlie stated. "But you have to call your dad after we receive the results from these tests." Evie nodded. He patted her hands and got up. "Dr. Cullen and Sue, I'd like a word with both of you."

"Let's get you dressed," Bella suggested.

* * *

><p>Edward kept looking up as he listened to the conversation upstairs. He was a bit hurt that Bella hadn't been down to see him or give him any news. But then again he could hear everything they were saying. Especially with Alice upstairs he had a better view of what Bella was doing. Carlisle was too busy checking on Evie that he wasn't paying any attention to the fact that Leah was blocking Alice from Bella. He looked at Jacob and immediately knew he had something to do with it. He was about to say something when he heard something or more like someone. He shook his head as he listened to the rambling of another dog walking up the path to the door.<p>

"It seems more of your pack has arrived," Edward sneered as Jacob went to answer the door.

Jacob had the urge to punch him but he knew Bella wouldn't appreciate it.

"Your right," Edward smirked. "She wouldn't."

"Paul, perfect timing," Jacob hissed. Paul gave him a look but quickly caught the scent of the leech.

"The stench explains your mood," Paul said walking in. He gave Edward a dirty look. "How is she?" he asked looking up the stairs.

"She's okay. They think her asthma caused a small hole in her lung," Jacob answered. Paul immediately began to shake. "Hey take it easy. It sounds worse than it is." Paul looked at Jacob as Edward watched them. "I know it sounds bad but trust me, it's not. They are taking her the hospital to run some tests, just to make sure everything's good." He doesn't stand a chance against the imprint.

Paul took a deep breath to calm down. He hated that the vamp was here watching them. He looked up the stairs when he heard their voices. He knew Evie was the first one to reach the stairs. Her scent filled his nostrils and went straight to his head. He wanted to move so the vamp was behind him but he couldn't move when he caught a glimpse of her. Her jeans were hugging her small curves as her shirt showed off her breasts. She laughed at something Leah said making her face light up. Her hair was down in soft curls. His hands ached to bury themselves in those curls.

Jacob and Edward were watching Bella as she came down the stairs with the other girls. She was smiling at something Leah said. They watched as Bella tripped and bumped into Evie. Paul moved faster than either of them. He caught Evie before she hit the ground. Alice caught Bella who was reaching for Evie.

Paul felt Evie's hands tighten on his upper arms. She looked dazed for a moment. He smirked when she finally recognized him. She looked shocked at first but a small smile appeared on her lips. He wanted to kiss those full lips of hers. He looked into her seductive eyes. They made his heart skip a beat. He heard Jacob and Leah's laugh. He ignored them as he enjoyed the feel of her in his arms again.

"I've heard of women falling for me but never like this," he smiled. "I'm flattered." He could hear and feel her heartbeat quicken. Leah rolled her eyes at him.

"Ha ha… very funny," Evie scoffed at his smug look, "coming from the guy who begged me to stay away from him last night." He stopped smiling and gave her a harsh look. She wasn't intimated by him. "Looks like you're the one having a hard time staying away from me." She batted her lashes at him.

"Evie I am so sorry," Bella said apologizing. She tried to take a step but Alice and Edward were holding her back. "Are you okay?" she asked as she pushed their hands away from her. She knew they couldn't restrain her in front of Evie.

"I'm fine, don't worry," she replied. "You can let me go now," she said looking at Paul.

Evie felt him hesitate for a few seconds before letting her go. She gave him a smug smile until her damn knees wobbled. He quickly picked her up causing her to gasp. His arm was firmly tucked behind her knees while his hand cupped her thigh. She looked at him as her arm settled around his neck.

"Seems I make you weak in the knees," he chuckled. He pulled her little closer to inhale her sweet scent. He had to hold himself back from burying his face in the crook of her neck.

"Dr. Cullen and Sue think I'm sick," Evie quickly shot back. "I'll let your little comment slide. " She hated to admit it, but she enjoyed his arms around her.

"More like you couldn't think of a good come back," he pointed out with a big smile. He loved getting her riled up. Her cheeks were flushed with a tint of pink.

She looked him in the eye and clenched her teeth for a second before turning away. "No, I couldn't." she finally admitted.

He lightly laughed against her ear. Damn it, his laughed sounded so good. She turned to give him a dirty look. He was still smiling at her. His smile was beautiful. She leaned in close to him without thinking about it. He smelled so good. It was like ocean and forest mixed together.

"Gees," Leah whispered. "Get a room."

Bella heard Leah and laughed against Jacob's side. She could feel his body shake from trying not to laugh.

Charlie watched as Paul and Evie's heads leaned towards each other. He cleared his throat. He noticed that Bella was next to Jacob almost behind him and Leah was next to her almost boxing her in. Alice and Edward were a few feet away from them. Maybe Bella was finally opening her eyes to the possibility of someone other than Edward.

"Dad," Bella gasped. She took a step away from Jacob but she could still feel the heat from his body.

"It seems you can't keep your hands off my niece," Charlie said a bit harshly as he glared at Paul.

"Bella tripped into Evie," Paul replied. He moved his head away from her.

"Yeah, I almost fell but Paul caught me," Evie said as she patted his chest. She could feel his muscles. She wondered how often he worked out. He raised his eyebrow at her and looked at her hands. She looked too and gasped. She hadn't realized her hands were rubbing his chest. She quickly moved her hands away.

"Fine," Charlie huffed. "Dr. Cullen called ahead to the hospital. They are expecting us." He gave Paul a look. "Do you mind?" Charlie gestured to the floor.

"I'll carry her out," Paul offered. "She was a bit dizzy earlier."

Charlie looked as Evie for a moment. "Fine," he answered a bit exhausted. He didn't like the way Paul was holding his niece but now was not the time to deal with it.

Bella threw a jacket over Evie before they walked out of the house. Evie ducked her head and moved closer to Paul. There was a light rain as he placed her in the back of the Chiefs cruiser. He inhaled her scent one more time before letting her go. He moved back and ran towards his truck.

Evie sighed in frustration. She thought Paul was finally letting his guard down but of course the mask of non-emotion appeared. She couldn't shake her hurt feelings. Bella turned around in the front seat with a sad smile on her face. Evie nodded before closing her eyes. Damn it, why does she have to like Paul?

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for the reviews and PM's and for everyone following the story as well as marking it as one of your favorites. I really appreciate the feedback. Have a great Turkey Day! <strong>

**Thanks,**

**india8**


	4. Chapter 4

***I don't own any of the characters from Twilight. They belong to Stephenie Meyer. I only own the original characters in this story.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 4<p>

As soon as they arrived at the hospital, Evie was taken to have her blood drawn. Sue went with her while Charlie and Bella filled out paperwork. Bella pulled out Evie's medical card and handed it to Charlie. He sighed in frustration from the paperwork in front of him. He looked down the hall and sighed again. He didn't know if Evie was okay or did she get worse. It brought up memories of Bella at a hospital in Phoenix after falling down a flight of stairs.

Bella watched her dad. She patted his hands and took the paperwork. "Go ahead," she whispered. "I know you're worried." She sat down as he stood up.

"Thanks kiddo," he said in a rush breath. He kissed the top of her head and left.

She watched him walk down the hall before turning to the paperwork in front of her. Most of the questions were basic information. She knew Evie was never sick and definitely didn't have any type of surgeries. She hooked a piece of her hair behind her ear. She took off her jacket and put Evie's cell phone on the table.

Jacob was watching Bella as she filled out papers. He tried to ignore Paul and Leah's conversation. No matter how many times they tried to talk sense into him, he refused to listen to them. He could fight the imprint but in the end, the imprint will win. Bella turned as Jacob continued to stare. Her cheeks began to turn red. She gave him a smile before turning back to the papers.

Edward took a deep breath and immediately regretted it. He didn't need to breath but he did need to calm down. The smell in the air was overwhelming, like wet dog. Of course Jacob was stalking Bella and watching her every move. His thoughts only infuriated Edward even more.

"Do you need help?" Edward asked as he sat down next to Bella. She looked up and shook her head no. It still bothered him not being able to read her mind.

"Thanks but I'm almost done," she replied. She could still feel Jacob looking at her. "Maybe you could find out how things are going with Evie," she said giving him a smile before returning her attention to the papers.

Edward turned his attention to Paul and Leah. He couldn't help but hear their conversation vocally and mentally. They were talking too low for a normal person to hear them. He heard them earlier. He almost felt sorry for Paul. The poor guy was too afraid to give in to the imprint. His worst fear was opening himself up to Evie and having her reject him and the wolf. Paul knew deep down he would end up like his father, alone and bitter.

"Your being an idiot," Leah hissed. She was leaning forward with her elbows on her knees. She continued to glare at Paul.

"Stay out of it," Paul snapped giving her a dirty look. "Our situations are completely different. The imprint doesn't change anything." He got up but Leah grabbed his arm.

"Your right we are different," she bit back. "But you found someone who is perfect for you. Neither one of you will destroy someone else's happiness." He pulled his arm out of her hands.

"Stay the fuck out of it Leah," he growled. He caught a glimpse of the leech watching them. "I need some air." He walked out throwing the door wide open with a bang.

Edward watched as Jacob went after Paul. When he looked at Bella, he grabbed her hand. He could see the scared look on her face. "Don't worry love," he whispered. He caressed her cheek. He felt her pull slightly away from him. He shook it off as worry for her cousin. "Jacob's gone after his friend. You were right to worry about Evie and Paul. His temper is too volatile."

Bella opened her mouth to protest but he quickly stood up.

"I'll check on Evie," he said with her favorite crooked smile. He kissed the top of her head and walked away.

Bella bit her lip. There were so many things floating around in her head. She usually felt a warm happy feeling when he gave her that smile but lately she didn't feel that way anymore. She couldn't help but think of Jacob's warm bright smile. She handed in the paperwork to the petite lady sitting at the front desk. She looked around at the almost empty room. She took a seat across from Leah, who was staring out the window. Jacob and Paul were still gone and Alice wasn't around.

The rain stopped on their way to the hospital. She was thankful Charlie insisted she ride with him, Evie and Sue. Being away from Edward seemed to clear her head. He kept talking about marriage in exchange for her being changed. Why did he have to insist on that one thing? If she was changed of course she wanted Edward to do it but does it have to include a trade. When did it change to 'if'?

"I think your dad has a thing for my mom," Leah said as she continued to look out the window. "I don't know how I feel about it." It felt too soon for her mom to think about dating.

"I am with you on both accounts," Bella said a bit tensed. Leah wasn't a big fan of hers. She really didn't know Leah except from what Jake told her. She looked at the other girl. "Are you okay?" she asked hesitantly.

Leah turned to look at Bella. This tiny little girl has caused so much trouble among her Pack Brothers. She's sent Jacob on a downward spiral of pain and rejection, yet we are expected to keep her safe. Then again she knew why Bella kept rejecting Jacob. It was the same thing that has caused her enough pain to last a life time, imprinting. That one little word has triggered so much pain and agony, she wouldn't wish it on her worst enemy….then again maybe she would. After everything Emily and Sam have done….she couldn't even say it. The pain was too much right now.

"I'm fine," she finally replied in a dismissive tone. She noticed Bella flinch causing her to sigh. "Look, I'm sorry for being harsh but you kind of bring it out of me." She was leaning forward with her elbows on her knees. She ran a hand through her short hair.

"Why do you say that?" Bella asked with a stutter. Her heart was pounding and the palms of her hands were sweating.

Leah laughed softly before moving back in her seat. She looked Bella straight in the eye. "You've done nothing but cause problems the moment you got here," she said bitterly. "You keep choosing the wrong path. I'm not a big fan of Jacob's but I can see a bit of myself in him."

Bella looked away. She didn't want to hear the same argument over again. She heard it enough from Jacob. It was too much to think about at the moment. "I never meant to hurt Jacob," she whispered.

"People like you never do," Leah replied harshly.

"I would never hurt Jacob intentionally," Bella snapped as she glared daggers at Leah.

Leah smirked. Maybe Bella had a backbone after all. "Look, you remind me of Sam. He didn't mean to hurt me either, but he did, the moment he imprinted on my cousin," she said with a bad taste in her mouth.

"I'm not Sam," Bella shot back. She crossed her arms over her chest. She was fuming inside at Leah's remark.

"No, you're not," Leah conceded. "But you're heading down that road with the vamp." She could see the struggle Bella was having over Jacob and Edward.

Bella turned slightly away from the other girl. She felt guilty for causing Jacob any kind of pain with her involvement with Edward. His pain was her pain. There was no getting around that one. She just couldn't get past the fact that Jacob could still imprint. Look at what it has done to Leah, Sam and Emily. Leah and Emily were like sisters and now they can't be in the same room.

"Look I can tell by your body language and lack of eye contact," Leah sighed in frustration. "You don't want to talk right now. When your ready-"

"It won't be with you," Alice said bitterly. She was staring down at Leah with a look of disgust. "Bella, are you okay?" she asked. She didn't take her eyes off Leah for a moment. She knew this dog didn't care about Bella's safety. By the sound of their earlier conversation, Leah was trying to get Jacob and Bella together, once again causing more pain for Bella. Why couldn't they leave poor Bella alone?

"I'm fine," Bella lied as she stood up. She wrapped her arms around her midsection.

Leah stood up with a smirk on her face. She looked down at the little vamp. "If you decide to talk," she said not taking her eyes off Alice. Even though she towered over the leech, the stench from her burned her nostrils, she didn't trust the pixie vamp for a moment. "You know where to find me." She took a few steps back before looking at Bella. The defeated look on Bella's face made Leah give her a sympathetic smile before walking away.

"You didn't have to do that," Bella whispered as she looked around. "She was only trying to help." She sat down with her hands in her lap. She knew Alice was only trying to help too but it made her feel weak.

"Please Bella," Alice said taking a seat next to her. "She doesn't like us and will do anything to cause problems between you and Edward."

Bella looked away. She knew Alice intentionally made it sound like 'us' meant her too. She didn't like the feeling she was getting. Her decisions were no longer hers anymore. They were slowly being taking away.

"You don't know her," Bella disputed. Granted she didn't know Leah that well either. "You have no idea what she's been through and what she is still going through." She got up angrily. "I need some air." She headed towards the nearest door.

"But it's raining," Alice pointed out.

"I don't care," Bella called over her shoulder before the door closed. She put her hands inside her jacket pockets.

* * *

><p>"How long do you plan on standing out here?" Jacob asked as he stood by a table with an umbrella. He watched Paul pace back and forth.<p>

At first Jacob expected Paul to tell him off for following but instead he allowed Jacob to walk next to him. As soon as they reached the lunch tables, Paul began to pace. Jacob didn't say anything at first. He just watched Paul pace. He felt bad for his Pack Brother but he was also a little jealous. Paul was the last person he thought would ever imprint but bam, he imprints on Evie. The one thing he wished for seems to happen to other people. It made him wonder who would be next to imprint. Something that was considered rare was now becoming common among his Pack Brothers.

Jacob sensed Bella before he heard her soft footsteps. He was also a bit surprised she hadn't bumped into anything. He turned just in time to see her bump into a concrete column. He bit his lip to hold in his laughter. He watched her walk towards him rubbing her shoulder.

Bella tapped him in the chest. "It's not funny," she scolded. He gave her a quick hug. She sighed as his heat surrounded her. Why was it so easy with Jake?

"Sorry Bells," he said without a hint of sincerity. "I'm surprised you made it this far without falling," he chuckled as he took a step back. Bella threw a playful punch at his chest with a smirk on her face.

"Some best friend you are," she scoffed. She crossed her arms over her chest. She turned away from him and watched Paul. "Care to explain?" she asked with a nod in Paul's direction.

It began to softly rain. They huddled under the umbrella. Jacob wrapped his arms around Bella to keep her warm. He could feel the tension in her shoulders. He smiled when she leaned her head against his chest. Why couldn't she see this was right between them?

Bella relaxed in Jacob's arms. His body heat kept the cold away. She couldn't be this close to Edward without her teeth chattering. She pushed Edward out of her mind and snuggled closer to Jake. If felt natural being in his arms. Everything about her was telling and pointing her towards Jake.

"They have the test results," Leah announced standing behind Jacob and Bella. She tried not to smile as they turned to face her. They didn't bother to move away from each other.

"How is she?" Paul asked. He was standing next to Jacob with a worried look on his face. He ignored Leah's eye roll.

"They are waiting for everyone in the lobby," Leah replied. She turned around and began to walk away. "Evie was asking for you Bella." She could see Paul's disappointed face reflect off the glass window. "She asked for you too Paul," she sighed. There was a small part of her that felt bad for him.

Paul's heart beat quickened. The thought of Evie asking for him felt great. But he couldn't shake the little voice in the back of his head. Everyone that he's cared about has left him. Evie would end up leaving him too.

* * *

><p>Evie watched as Leah, Paul, Bella and Jacob walked into the lobby. Leah took a seat next to her mom. Bella stopped when she saw Edward and Alice. Jacob bumped into her but caught her before she fell. Alice was holding Edwards arm. The tension in the room began to rise. Paul was leaning against the wall with a weird look on his face. Evie looked away when he turned her way. She knew once he heard she was fine, the mask he usually wore would appear. That was one look she didn't need to see again.<p>

She wanted to kick herself for feeling anything for him. Paul was the guy every mother warned her daughter to stay away from; he was nothing but a heartbreaker. He was also every dad's worst nightmare. No dad wanted the bad boy or the player near their daughter.

Charlie walked into the lobby with Dr. Cullen at his side. They shook hands before Charlie walked over to Evie and stood behind her. He felt better knowing Evie was okay. He gave Bella a smile when she moved closer to him. Jacob was right behind her. He looked up to see Edward staring at Bella and Jacob. He didn't like the way Edward was staring at his daughter.

Carlisle gave Evie a small smile. He stood next to Edward and Alice. "The hole in your lung that we discussed," he said looking through the paperwork on his clipboard, "Should close on its own in a few days, which is a good thing." He looked at Sue for a moment before continuing. "We both looked at your x-rays as well as the test results and we feel that you're upcoming vacation with your father should be postponed." He held the clipboard in both hands.

Dr. Cullen looked at Charlie for just a second. Evie opened her mouth but she quickly closed it. She folded her hands and placed them on her lap. "What are you not telling me?" she asked looking at Charlie.

Charlie cleared his throat. "I know it's not the news you wanted to hear," Charlie gently said. He put a hand on Evie shoulder. "You can go to Hawaii some other time." He shifted his weight and cleared his throat again.

"Dad," Bella slowly said. She clenched her jaw when a bead of sweat ran down the side of his face. "What did you do?" she asked with her arms crossed over her chest.

Charlie looked at Evie and then at Bella. He squared his shoulders and stood straight. "At least her parents aren't worried anymore," he quickly replied.

Evie got up and stood in front of him. Beads of sweat ran down his face making him turn red. He ran his hand through his hair as he looked at the ground.

"You told Aunt Kathy," Bella said loudly. She shook her head. Edward put a hand on Bella's shoulder causing her to jump into Jacob. Edward and Jacob both opened their mouths to say something. "This is not the time," she whispered.

Evie ignored them as she waited for Charlie to look up. He promised not to tell her parents. How could he lie to her?

"Your mom called and I didn't say anything but when I got off the phone, I knew she needed to know," he explained. "I called her back and I told her everything." He took a step back before looking at Evie.

"You told my mom," Evie grumbled. She ran her down her face. "I thought we agreed not to say anything to her if it was an easy fix." She took a deep breath as tears appeared. "Why?"

"I'm sorry kid," he muttered in defeat. "I was standing there in the hallway... thinking about how I would feel and well…. I just couldn't stand around…. I," he sounded flustered and agitated. He was rubbing the back of his neck.

"Wait," Paul interjected. "Didn't you say parents?" Everyone turned in his direction. He could feel Evie's eyes on him. It took everything he had not to look at her. He kept his eyes on Charlie, who was glaring at him.

"Dad, please tell me you didn't," Bella pleaded.

"Umm," Charlie stuttered before looking at Evie.

"Parents, parents," Evie was lightly tapping her fingers against her lips. She laughed softly before pulling out her phone. "This makes complete sense now." She shook her head and sighed in frustration.

"What makes sense?" Jacob asked placing a hand on Bella's shoulder. He could feel how upset she was at her dad.

"My mom hasn't called or texted me. She never goes this long without trying to contact me," Evie began to explain. "The only person, who can control my mom from not constantly calling me, is my dad. He's in Japan and not due back until tomorrow."

"But instead he's with Aunt Kathy which means…," Bella said trailing off. She leaned back, falling against Jacob. He immediately held her up. Edward reached for her but quickly pulled his hand back when she turned away from him.

"Her condition is worse that she let on," Evie finished. "I knew it; I knew she wasn't telling me the truth. My dad knew too. I can't believe they both lied to me." She spun around to face Charlie. "You knew too, didn't you?" she asked angrily.

"Yes," Charlie admitted reluctantly. He lowered his head to avoid eye contact.

"Why didn't you say anything Dad?" Bella asked with tears in her eyes.

"I'll be back," Evie stated looking at Bella, Jacob and Edward. Charlie still had his head down. Sue gave her an apologetic smile.

Evie walked out of the lobby and headed outside. She immediately wrapped an arm around herself as the cold air hit her. Why didn't they tell me? She wondered as she pulled up her dad's number. She thought about turning around and getting her jacket.

"Hey," Paul called out as the door slammed. Evie was holding her phone. He lowered her arm. "Maybe you should wait before you call them." He moved a strand of her hair from her face. He gently tucked it behind her ear. His thumb moved over her cheek. Her eyes were glossy from unshed tears.

"I'm fine," she responded before her teeth began to chatter.

Paul pulled her against him as he let out a frustrated breath. He wanted to yell at her for walking outside without a jacket. But he should have grabbed it for her. Her scent calmed him, making his wolf content for the first time. Her hand was pressed against his chest, while she held her phone with the other. He felt when she relaxed in his arms and moved closer to him. She was so tiny in his arms. One of his hands almost covered her entire back. He leaned down to bury his face in her soft satin hair.

Evie felt warm and safe in Paul's arms. His hot breath seeped through her hair and warmed her neck. She closed her eyes, enjoying the closeness of him. His hands held her close and kept the cold away. She inhaled his ocean and forest scent. She moved her head until they were almost face to face. His heartbeat was soothing, making it comfortable in his arms. Everything about him invaded her senses. After last night she didn't think she would be in his arms like this again. The heat from his body blocked out the cold.

Paul picked her up and smiled when she gasped. He walked over to one of the tables. When he sat down, he placed her on his lap. She looked at him with a surprised face. He tapped her nose, making her smile.

"I can sit by myself," she pointed out. "I have done it since I was a baby." She didn't try to move. It felt comfortable and natural to sit with him like this.

"True," he said in a mocking tone. "But you don't have a jacket and I am the only thing keeping you warm." He rubbed her back and arm to prove his point.

"True," she said in the same tone. She looked at his arms and body. "Wait, you don't have a jacket either." She touched his cheek and forehead. "Your body is hot like yesterday. How is that possible?" He must be running a fever.

Paul smirked. "Thanks for noticing I have a hot body. Yours is definitely hot as well," he replied. He caressed her cheek as he stared into her eyes. Damn it, she is so beautiful. He leaned in and felt her warm breath wash over his face. Her breath smelled sweet and inviting.

"Paul," she whispered. He lightly brushed her lips with his. "You're trying to distract me." She couldn't move even if she wanted to.

He gently kissed her. "Is it working?" he asked.

She bit her bottom lip. Damn, he is good at this. Before she could answer her phone began to ring. She glanced down at the caller ID. "It's my dad," she said surprised.

"Answer it," he quickly replied. He gave her a quick kiss when he saw the worried look in her eyes. "I'm not going anywhere." He ran his hand over her thigh, trying to keep her warm.

Evie took a deep breath before answering her phone. "Hi daddy," she said. Her voice was quivering. Paul stroked her back and gave her hand a squeeze.

"Hi sweetheart," her dad Mitchell McIntyre said happily. "I wanted to let you know I got back a day early." Evie held on to Paul's hand as she listened to her father lie.

Paul could see the tears in Evie's eyes. The way her dad spoke to her, he knew that her dad loved her and only wanted the best for her. He brought her hand up to his lips and gently kissed her palm. He heard the slight intake of her breath.

"I was thinking we could change our plans for Hawaii," Mitchell said trying to keep his tone even. He hated lying to his daughter but he couldn't go against Kathy's last wish.

"What do you have in mind?" Evie asked skeptically. She could picture her dad's dark brown hair and light hazel eyes.

"We haven't spent much time together and if we're in Hawaii, we'll end up doing our own thing and miss out on some quality father – daughter time," he paused looking at Kathy sleeping. He pulled the blanket over her shoulder.

"How do you plan spending quality time?" Evie tried to keep calm. The anger at her dad for avoiding telling her the truth slowly started to rise to the surface. "It didn't bother you last year in New York." She knew that it wasn't his fault that he got called at the last minute to replace a photographer. She even told him to take the job. It was only for two days.

Paul did his best to calm Evie down. He whispered in her ear to take a deep breath. He was surprised when she listened to him. He leaned his head on her shoulder as she listened to her dad.

"Cubby, what's wrong?" Mitchell asked knowing his daughter was about to lose it.

"Don't cubby me dad. I'm not a kid," she calmly stated. She sighed before saying another word. "Please be honest. I can take it." She braced herself as she waited for her dad to talk.

Mitchell knew his daughter would never forgive him if he continued to keep the truth from her. As much as he loved and respected Kathy, bu he loved his daughter more. "The cancer has spread," he finally admitted the truth. "She only has a few weeks, maybe a month."

Paul heard the news and the small gasp that escaped Evie's lips. He felt her body tense up from the news.

"It happened last month," Evie mumbled. She took a breath but couldn't get enough air.

"Your mother was positive you had no idea," Mitchell was a bit shocked that she figured it out. "How did you know?" he quickly asked.

"That's when she started to push me way," she explained. She laughed sarcastically.

"Evie," her dad began as guilt washed over him.

"Most of mom's appointments were scheduled after school so I could take her. But her latest test results came in and for some reason she scheduled her appointment during the day," she said. A tear ran down her cheek. Paul wiped the tear away and pulled her closer to him. "When I came home she didn't give me a chance to ask about her doctor's visit. She started to suggest that it would be a great idea to visit Uncle Charlie and Bella." The line was quiet for a moment.

Paul heard the soft sound of a door closing. He looked to his right to see Leah heading in their direction. She had Evie's jacket and a box of tissues with her. He nodded his head to Leah as a thank you. She gave him a rare smile.

"Sweetie, I'm sorry. Your mom had her reasons for not telling you," he said looking at Kathy. He knew she felt guilt for lying to their daughter.

Leah didn't say a word as she placed the jacket around Evie and sat the box of tissues next to Paul. She turned around and wiped a tear from her own eye. The loss of her father was still heavy on her mind and heart.

"Like what?" Evie asked in a small voice. She turned to tell Leah thank you for the jacket but she was gone.

"She didn't want you to see her slowly slipping away. She can't go to the bathroom with stopping to catch her breath," he explained. "Your mom is in constant pain and has refused pain medication so she can talk to you." He stopped talking when the lump in his throat made it too difficult.

"Daddy, I need to see mom," Evie choked out. She found it difficult to talk. She went to wipe the tears that were falling down her cheeks when she felt something soft touch her skin.

Paul was wiping her tears away. He could feel the pain she was in. Her sad smile brought the protective side of him out. He didn't like seeing her this way. He held her close trying to block out all the pain she was feeling.

"I know sweetie, I know," Mitchell said with a sigh. "There are a few things that I need to take care of for you mother." He ran his hand through his hair.

"When will you be here?" she asked in a small voice.

"I'll be there Wednesday afternoon. Hopefully by then the hole in your lung will be healed. If not we can drive back," Mitchell explained. Kathy needs Evie by her side no matter what she may think, he thought. "We love you Evie."

"I love you both too," she sobbed. She looked at her phone for a moment after she hung up.

Paul took her phone and placed it next to him. He pulled her close. "It's okay Evie," he whispered. "Everything will work out." A part of him wanted to take her away from here, but he knew that was wrong. "I'm here for you." He surprised himself by the conviction in his voice.

Evie threw her arms around Paul's neck and cried. The tears fell as heavy sobs shook her body. She held onto him as tightly as she could. It hurt to feel all these emotions at once. It wasn't fair that her mom had to go through this. She's such an amazing person, who always puts everyone else's needs before her own. Paul rubbed slow circles on her back. She couldn't imagine being alone at this moment. She was thankful that Paul followed her outside.

Paul gently continued rubbing her back. He whispered comforting words of support that shocked the hell of him. He didn't know he could be this gently and loving with someone. He held her tightly against him, trying as hard as he could to take the pain away. He needed her more than he realized. Imprinting on Evie seemed a natural course for him. The wolf was calm and content but the man in him began to panic. The love he was beginning to feel for her was terrifying. What if she rejected him because of the imprint?

* * *

><p>"Fuck," Paul hissed as the banging on his front door grew louder with each hit. "You better have a good reason for pounding on my door Black," he yelled as he yanked the door open. His body took up most of the space in the doorway, not giving Jacob a chance to walk in. He sighed in frustration. "Of course the leech lover just had to show up on my doorstep." He glared at Bella, who stood half hidden behind Jacob.<p>

"Enough Lahote," Jacob grumbled as he nodded for Paul to move out of the way.

"What? Are my manners not up to your standards?" Paul asked in a sarcastic tone. He rolled his eyes as he moved aside. He gestured for them to enter. "Please come in and began your damn lecture Baby Alpha and the object of his unrequited love." He winked at Bella as she passed him.

Jacob grabbed Paul by the shirt and shoved him against the door. He pulled him slightly forward before slamming him against the door again. He knew Paul was just looking for an excuse to start something with him. This was his way of avoiding the problem.

"Jake stop," Bella shouted. Her voice was quivering. Both guys were slightly shaking. She took a step forward and placed a hand on Jacob's arm.

Jacob looked sideways at Bella and sighed when he saw the scared look in her eyes. Fuckin Lahote, he thought as he slammed Paul one more time against the door before releasing him. Leave it to Lahote to cause more problems than he's worth.

Paul was looking at Bella too, but he didn't see a scared look. He saw the love she has for Jacob. He looked away for a moment. "Say whatever you have to say and get the hell out," he said angrily. He straightened his shirt as he walked to the couch. "I'm expecting someone." He sat down with a smirk on his face as he draped his arms over the top of the couch.

"What the hell are you doing?" Jacob yelled. He couldn't understand how Paul could just leave Evie without a thought for her well being.

"I'm relaxing," Paul replied with scoff. "I told you, I have someone coming over." He stared at Jacob as he crossed his feet and placed them on the coffee table.

Jacob ran a hand down his face. He moved away from Bella and stood next to the couch. He kicked Paul's legs off the coffee table prompting Paul to stand up. They were face to face. "Do you get some sick kick of playing with Evie's emotions?" he shouted. "She deserves better than you as an imprint. You don't care about anything or anyone but yourself." He knew he hit Paul where it hurt by the look on his face.

"You have no fucking idea what I care about or don't care about. Get the hell out of my house," he hissed. The wolf inside him was itching to get out.

Bella reached for Jacob's hand. "Let's go Jake," she whispered. She knew both guys could hear her. She gently pulled him back towards the door. "It was a mistake to come here." She caught the slight shake of Paul's hands and feared he was close to phasing. "Please Jake, let's go." She opened the front door and felt the cool air wash over her.

"Your right," Jacob said angrily. The look on Paul's face reminded him of the way he felt when Bella walked away from him after she went to Italy to save Edward. He allowed Bella to pull him just outside the door. "Evie deserves someone better for an imprint." He could feel Paul's anger rise as his hands curled into fists.

Bella looked between Jacob and Paul. "Don't do it," she whispered as she pulled on Jacob's hand. She could see that whatever he had planned, it wasn't good.

Jacob gently nudged Bella out of the way. He was going to make Paul admit his feelings one way or another. "Seth would have made a great imprint for Evie," he said with a smirk. "The kid definitely liked what he saw. Not to mention Quil." He braced himself when he heard Paul growl. He didn't bother to move out of the way as Paul lunged at him.

Paul and Jacob rolled down the porch hitting each step with a loud thud. They landed in a huge puddle, sending mud everywhere. Bella screamed when Paul's fist connected with Jacob's eye causing it to swell up fast. Jacob pushed Paul away but it didn't keep him away for long. Paul rushed at Jacob but he was able to move out the way. When Paul turned, Jacob threw a right hook that rocked Paul so hard, he dropped to his knees. Mud was dripping off both of them.

Bella took a step towards Jacob but he shook his head no. Paul was on the ground with his eyes closed as his body shook. Jacob moved away from Paul, keeping his distance from Bella. He was about to say something when Paul jumped up with his arms out. Mud flew everywhere as a little drizzle began to fall. Paul growled as he glared at Jacob.

"Enough," Sam yelled as he walked out from behind the trees that bordered the property line.

Paul shook his head as he tried to control his anger. The wolf was angry at him for denying him Evie. He shook his arms to shake out the tension. He glared at Jacob with enough venom to drop Baby Alpha where he stood but the bastard just smiled at him.

"You said you were going to talk to him," Sam hissed at Jacob.

"I did," Jacob replied still smiling. "Leah was right; this jackass does care about Evie. No matter how hard he tries to ignore the imprint." He gestured to Paul. "But as always he's too fucking thick headed to accept it." Paul took a step towards Jacob but Sam pushed him back.

"Paul the more you fight it, the worse it will be on you," Sam explained. He knew first hand that fighting the imprint was a loss cause.

"Don't compare your pathetic love life to mine," Paul snapped. "It's not my fault you were too weak to fight it." He knew the struggle Sam went through and the pain it caused him to turn away from Leah. He knew that it wasn't something Sam could control. But he wasn't Sam and there was no way he would ever hurt Evie. She was better off without him. Besides the imprint hadn't taken effect with Evie yet. There was still time to save them from the pain the imprint would cause.

"Fine," Sam yelled. "Ignore it and let it slowly kill you." He stood in front of Paul. "But at least be honest with yourself. The woman you were with didn't compare to Evie. The wolf was trying to tear you up from the inside." The look in Paul's eyes told Sam he was right. The pain it caused was something he never wanted to feel again.

Paul fell to his knees and covered his face with his hands. The pain was still fresh in his mind. Nothing seemed to take it away. It was sitting right on the edge ready to drown him with pain. The wolf was clawing at him ready to venture out and claim Evie as his own.

"If you don't accept the imprint, the pain will increase and the intensity of it will destroy you into nothing," Jacob stated. He was kneeling next to Paul. "Every imprint is different. There's a reason why Evie was chosen for you." He placed a hand on Paul's shoulder.

"Jacob's right," Sam said kneeling next to Jacob. "Everything you're going through, I went through as well." Paul moved his hand to look at Sam. "I fought like hell to break the imprint with Emily. Everything I feel or felt for Leah was all I wanted and Emily was like a curse to me." He closed his eyes for a moment. No one knew how hard he tried to break the imprint. He kept it hidden from everyone. His thoughts and memories were sealed so tight in his mind; it was like something that happened to someone else.

"We saw your struggle with the imprint but never this," Paul said waving to himself. "We never saw this." He could see the struggle Sam was still going through.

Sam took a deep breath. "It's not something I'm proud of," he sighed. "When I…when I phased too close to Emily, it was because she was pushing me away. She couldn't be with me knowing I belonged to Leah. Her relationship with her cousin was more important." He stood up and ran his hands down his face.

"Sam what are you saying?" Jacob asked getting up. He had never seen his Alpha look so distraught or lost.

"Emily had the choice to dictate our relationship," Sam said looking away. "When I was by her side in the hospital after…after the accident, she told me to leave and never come back. She told me again that friendship was all she could offer me." He felt a small hand on his arm. He turned to see Bella with tears in her eyes.

"You asked… Emily… to reconsider," Bella choked out. She could see it his eyes that it was true.

"Why?" Paul asked confused. "Why would you purposely hurt Leah?" Nothing was making sense.

"There was a reason Emily was chosen as my imprint and not Leah," Sam answered. "As much as it killed me to turn away from Leah, the survival of this tribe was more important." He knew there was no going back. "Emily is the reason I can lead you all. It's her patience and willing to love me with all my faults that helped me step up into the role of Alpha." He took a few steps away from them.

"I still don't understand," Paul began but stopped when Sam turned around.

"The vision I had showed me struggling with the imprint and letting my selfish needs control my decisions," Sam took a deep breath. "A coven of cold ones destroyed us. Our tribe did not survive because I put my own selfish needs first." The image was still fresh in his mind.

"But I've seen the way you and Emily are with one another," Bella said. She was holding onto to Jacob, who was just as surprised how Sam kept a tight lid on his emotions. "The love you have for each other is real." There was no denying imprinting caused heartache but it also brought love and happiness in Jared's case. Sam and Emily had the same thing through all the pain it caused Leah. Bella knew it wasn't intentional but none the less it still happen.

"We have all seen the way you still struggle with your feelings for Leah. You still love her," Paul pointed out.

"I do love Emily. Her love healed me," Sam said with conviction. "But my feelings for Leah will always be there in some form." He rubbed the back of his neck before turning to Paul. "We don't get to choose who we imprint on but there is always a reason why someone is chosen for us. I believe that now and I wouldn't change the love I have for Emily. But I would change the way it hurt Leah." He placed his hand on Paul's shoulder.

"What if I refuse the imprint?" Paul asked. "It's not like Evie feels anything for me." He moved away from Sam. "What if I screwed up so bad, that she doesn't want anything to do with me?" He ran his hand down his face and looked around. Everyone rejected him in the end. His mother and father left him. What makes Evie so different?

"Refuse it if you want but I can guarantee by morning you will need her to breathe," Sam stated before heading to the trees.

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you for the reviews and PM's. Also thanks to everyone who marked the story as a favorite and who are now following the story. <strong>

**Thanks,**

**india8**


	5. Chapter 5

***I don't own any of the characters from Twilight. They belong to Stephenie Meyer. I only own the original characters in this story.**

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><p>Chapter 5<p>

Bella was uncomfortable. She began to fidget. She heard Edward's slight sigh. She rolled her eyes and moved away from him. Why did she let him pressure her into leaving Evie at home and spending time with him and Alice? She looked around wishing the rest of the Cullen's were home. She looked at her watch and tapped it with her finger. She had only been here two hours but it seemed longer.

"Bella, you seem preoccupied," Edward pointed out. He took her hand and ignored the way she stiffened at his touch. "I know you're worried about Evie, but Carlisle assures me, she is perfectly fine." He was a bit hurt when she pulled her hand away.

"She's my cousin," Bella said a bit frustrated. "Of course I'm worried about her. I know exactly what Carlisle said but it doesn't change how I'm feeling." She got up and grabbed her jacket.

Edward followed her to the door to stop her but Alice was already blocking the door. Bella looked at them before taking a step back. The movie they had watched was still playing. The three of them looked at each other.

"Bella were you leaving," Alice floated over to Bella and put her arm around her waist. "I haven't had any time with you in days." She knew once Bella left, there was a strong possibility they wouldn't see her for a few days. She couldn't allow that to happen. Edward would be distraught the whole time.

"Please love, we have the house to ourselves," Edward stated. "I was hoping to finish our earlier conversation." He knew she wasn't happy with his proposal of marriage but maybe they could come up with something they could both agree upon.

"Plus Evie wanted you to spend time with Edward," Alice added. "She felt guilty for taking up all your time." Alice moved towards the stairs before stopping. She got a faraway look.

"Alice," Bella said as she moved towards her. Edward stopped her before she could touch Alice. "Edward what is it?" she asked looking at him. She thought of Evie and her Aunt Kathy. Did something happen to them?

"It's not your cousin," Edward quickly answered. "There has to be more Alice," Edward lightly touched her shoulder.

Alice slowly turned to face Edward and Bella. "There was nothing to see except darkness with a bit of light. There were figures but it wasn't bright enough to make out the faces," she looked at Edward with concern. "I'm sorry Edward." She patted his arm to offer some comfort. She knows how he worries for Bella's safety.

"No," he said. "You can't control how your visions play out. We need to rethink how we are keeping an eye on Bella when she isn't here. We definitely need to figure out what your vision means." Edward gave Alice a small smile. He was already thinking of ways to keep Bella here with his family until this threat was taken care of.

"I need to get home," Bella said. Here dad was at work and Evie was home alone. She headed for the door as she put her jacket on. She never should have left Evie alone.

"Bella please you can't leave at the moment. We need to wait until my family returns," he took her hand and tried to lead her to the couch.

"Evie is alone. I need to leave," Bella protested as she tried to pull her hand away. He held on to her.

"Your safety is my only concern love," he brushed her cheek lightly with his finger.

"What about the safety of my family? Evie is home unprotected. I need to leave now," she said harshly as she yanked her hand away.

Edward opened his mouth to say something but he could hear Alice's voice in his head. _You can stay with Bella until everyone returns._ "I'll drive you home," Edward offered. He could see her pulling away from him. "The roads are probably slippery from this continuous rain fall."

Bella didn't bother to argue. She just wanted to get home. She would deal with his lack of sensitivity regarding her family later.

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><p>"Leah you don't have to babysit me," Evie scoffed. She rolled her eyes at the other girl.<p>

"Please it was either me or my mom," Leah replied. "I figured you would want someone who wouldn't fuss over every breath you took." She put the bowl of chips on her lap.

"Then why did you kick Seth out?" Evie asked as she placed some left over lasagna on the coffee table for Leah.

She laughed as she put the bowl of chips down. "Trust me, it's safer if Seth isn't here," she answered. She could see Evie thinking over what she said out of the corner of her eye.

Evie chewed her food slowly as she processed what Leah said or rather how she said it. What's wrong with Seth being here? She was about to take another bite of her food when it hit her.

"It has something to do with Paul, doesn't it?" Evie asked staring at Leah.

Leah looked at Evie as she continued to eat. She had to admit, Bella could cook. This lasagna was really good. Evie raised her eyebrow as if waiting for an answer. Leah smiled but didn't bother to answer. She had a feeling that Evie could hold her own against Paul. It will definitely be a good show.

"Forget it, I don't want to know," Evie snapped. She took a drink and tried to calm down. "I don't want to know anything that involves Paul." She felt her anger rise just thinking about him.

Leah finished her food and took her plate and glass to the kitchen. Damn Paul and his crappy temper. It's not like Seth is interested in Evie. But with Paul's temper, not to mention the imprint, it took an Alpha order from Sam to keep him from barging in here and taking Evie to his place. Everyone could see and how he feels about Evie but he is too stubborn for his own good.

But after the crap he pulled at the hospital with that nurse Corina, he deserves whatever punishment he gets, idiot. If looks could kill Corina and Paul would have been dead on the spot when Evie caught them practically having sex in the garden area. It was good thing it was only Bella and herself with Evie. But then again Paul got his, she thought with a laugh.

Leah turned on the water and began to wash her dishes. She heard when Evie finally got up from the couch and walked into the kitchen. She didn't let her say a word as she took her dishes as well. She pointed to the table.

Evie shrugged her shoulders and sat down. If Paul was going to keep what little friends she made away from her than he had another thing coming. Who was he to dictate who she could talk to? She got quickly got out of her chair and stared out the window. Anger coursed through her veins. She stared hard out the window. For a split second she could have sworn she saw something sliver outside.

Leah let out a frustrated breath. Damn Paul. What the hell was he doing outside? She told him to stay away, Evie was in good hands. How did he get around the Alpha order? She looked out the window and flipped him off. He didn't want to tell Evie the truth but yet he continued to take the risk of getting caught. She knew Evie couldn't see him but that wasn't the point. She looked out the window to see black fur next to sliver. Sam is an idiot.

"Do you want to talk about Paul?" Leah asked point blank.

Evie turned to face Leah. "Do you want to talk about Sam?" She knew there was something that Bella didn't tell her about Sam, Emily and Leah. She sensed it the first day she met them all.

Leah glared at her. There was no way she was going to talk to a stranger about Sam especially when he was in earshot distance. "You first," she spit out a bit too harshly. She leaned against the counter with her arms crossed.

Evie smirked as she walked to the table and sat down. She kicked out a chair for Leah to sit in. "Honestly I don't even know where to begin," she rubbed her hands together to get some warmth in them.

"How about with the obvious, Paul's an asshole," Leah said with a smile. She heard the slight growl come from him outside but she didn't care. He needs to hear what a dumbass he is being.

"Yeah, that pretty much sums him up," Evie replied. She quickly pulled her hair up in a ponytail. The rain was letting up but not by much. "I have never met someone so infuriating. He kisses me after he yells at me for having a boyfriend. Then tells me to stay away but the next day he is here acting like he cares what happens to me." She got up and grabbed a water bottle.

"He's an enigma wrapped up in a six foot three body that needs a good ass kicking," Leah laughed. She was getting a kick of torturing him while he couldn't do anything about it.

"After yesterday, I'm glad that my dad will here in a few days," she said hurt. "I actually thought for a moment when Paul was holding me as I cried he was a good guy but he's just like every other guy. He can't keep it in his pants." She blew out a frustrated breath.

Shit. "That's why you broke up with your ex," Leah stated with a shake of her head. They actually had something in common. Even though Sam technically didn't have a choice because of the imprint, the rejection from him still hurt. She reached for Evie's hand when she sat down.

"I caught Dylan and my 'best friend'," she said with air quotes. "But the weird thing is I hurt more from Paul walking away from me that night on the beach than catching Dylan." She could feel the tears ready to fall. She took a deep breath and pushed them back.

"If you ever want to talk," Leah began to say but she stopped when she heard Bella's truck.

"Thanks Leah," Evie said with a small smile. "Whenever you're ready to open up about your situation, I'm here." She patted Leah's hand. Evie turned towards the front door when she heard Bella's truck. "She's home early."

Leah got up when she heard the truck stop. They walked to the door as Bella entered the house. She spotted Evie and quickly gave her a hug. She looked at Leah and mouthed 'Thank you'. Leah gave her a nod before facing the vamp that walked in with a dirty look on his face.

"Well it looks like you rushed home for nothing," Edward said with a tight smile.

Edward should have known the dogs would be around waiting to pounce when Bella got home. He knew that Sam and Paul were outside. Sam was trying to calm down Paul and ordering him not to phase. The imbecile wanted to rush in and protect his imprint, as if he would actually harm her.

"Bella why are you home early?" Evie asked. She looked at her cousin a little worried. "Is something wrong?" she glanced at Edward. He looked frustrated.

"Nothing's wrong," Bella replied. "I felt horrible for leaving you here alone." She ignored the look Edward gave her.

Leah moved closer to Evie and Bella. She knew Paul was going ballistic with the leech being so close to his imprint. The low growling and snapping she heard was proof that she was right.

"But I told you to go," Evie pointed out as she gestured to Edward. She looked Bella in the eye. The conflict she noticed a couple of days ago was back. She continued to look at Bella until she looked at her feet.

"I know but I was still worried about you," Bella said. She was avoiding eye contact.

Evie sighed, "You are such a martyr."

"No, I'm not," Bella protested. But she knew Evie could read her just like Jake. Her heart skipped a beat at the thought of her best friend.

Edward looked at Bella when he heard her heartbeat fluttered. He looked at Evie with a bit of anger for upsetting Bella.

"Yes you are," Evie spit out. She ignored the way Bella flinched.

"I think your being a bit harsh," Edward interjected. He tried to move towards Bella but Leah blocked his attempt.

"You are exactly the same," Evie continued as if Edward hadn't spoken. "You are more concerned with everyone else's happiness but your own." Bella took a step back but Evie took a step towards her. She opened her mouth but stopped when she caught a glimpse of Leah and Edward out of the corner of her eye. She almost forgot they were in the room.

"Evie you need to relax and rest. I doubt Uncle Mitchell will appreciate you getting worse because we had a misunderstanding," Bella said trying to move towards the stairs while she took off her jacket.

"Leave your jacket on," Evie snapped. She turned to Leah and Edward. "Please excuse us. It seems my cousin and I need to talk." She walked to the coat rack and grabbed her jacket. "Let's go outside and talk." She moved towards the back door.

Bella stared at her cousin who was holding open the door for her. She glared at Evie. Without a word to Edward she walked out the door. She heard the door close and slowly turned around to face Evie.

"You should be inside instead of out here in the cold," she said looking around. "This can't be good for your lung." The look Evie gave her had her twisting her fingers.

"Don't change the subject," Evie replied. "I know you're worried about me but don't use me as your excuse to avoid Edward." She stood in front of Bella.

The cold air blew past both of them causing them to shiver and move closer.

Bella was chewing on her bottom lip. She felt trapped. There was so much she wanted to tell Evie but there was no way she could say anything with Edward around. She looked at towards the trees and knew that some of the pack was out there watching them.

"What aren't you telling me?" Evie whispered. She grabbed Bella's hands.

Bella thought for a while. How could she tell her without saying it out loud? A game they invented when they were younger came to mind. She looked at Evie and smiled.

"Remember the game we played when we were small? The one with code words," Bella stared intently at Evie. She was practically willing her cousin to read her mind.

Evie blinked a few times. She could feel her brain slowly spinning its wheels to figure what Bella meant. Her fingertips were tapping her lips lightly as she continued to think. As if a light bulb lite up over her head, she looked at Bella and smiled.

"There was a song about two," Bella said slowly. "Your friend Kate loved it." She held Evie's hands and gently squeezed them. "It was last summer." They e-mailed each other at least once a day.

"Kate?" Evie asked a bit confused. "Two?" She was biting her bottom lip when it finally clicked. Kate was in love with two guys. A football player named Chris and a friend from kindergarten named Scott.

"Do you remember?" Bella asked with hope in her voice.

"Yeah, I remember," Evie answered. "There was Norman too." Brady went ballistic when Kate dumped him for Scott. He stalked them both until their parents got a restraining order against him.

"Yeah, that's right," she smiled at Evie with tears in her eyes.

"I could see that," Evie responded. "She's really happy now." She pulled Bella close to her. "It's your choice," she whispered. "I will support you no matter what." She gave Bella a hug.

Bella began to cry. She felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulder and especially her heart. No matter the choice someone was going to hurt but she needed to put her heart first. She smiled through the tears when his face appeared in front of her. She closed her eyes when the other face appeared too. She knew her decision was made a long time ago but her heart and head were in constant war and it seemed her heart finally won.

"What is going on in here?" Charlie yelled. He was glaring at Jacob and Edward. Poor Leah was trying to separate them. He stepped forward and gently moved Leah out of the way.

"Dad," Bella gasped. She looked at the scene in front of her. It was like her dream was playing out for everyone to see.

"I come home from work to find these two about to go at it," Charlie said pointing to Edward and Jacob. "Leah was trying to separate them, which by the way young lady," he said looking at Leah. "Don't ever let me catch you stepping in between these two idiots again. Your mother will kill me if anything happen to you."

Leah wanted to roll her eyes but she knew her mother wouldn't appreciate her lack of respect. Instead she smiled at Charlie. "Yes, sir," she mumbled.

"Thank you," Charlie said with a nod. He turned to look at Bella. "Have you been crying?" he asked before turning to glare at Jacob and Edward.

"Umm…that was my fault Uncle Charlie," Evie exclaimed. "We were talking about a friend of mine and it got a little emotional." She moved closer to Bella.

He looked at Edward. "I don't care if you are 'dating' my daughter. You need to respect and accept Jacob and Bells have been friends since they were kids," he said sternly. He looked at Jacob's big goofy smile. "As for you," he said pointing his finger at Jacob. "You have to respect that Bella chose him." Jacob stopped smiling and scowled at Charlie.

"Dad," Bella said with an annoyed tone.

The knock at the front door forced Charlie to close his mouth. He glared at Edward and Jacob before answering the door. "It's like Grand Central Station," he muttered. He opened the door to find Paul standing on his front porch. "Let me guess, you're here to talk to Evie, even though she needs to rest and relax but you have something important to tell my niece none the less," Charlie said rudely. He could hear the slight argument between Jacob and Edward start again.

Paul let Evie's scent surround him. The sight of her walking towards him calmed the wolf inside him as well as the man. God, she was beautiful. They way her hips swayed as she walked did things to him that he couldn't quite explain. Sam was right he needed Evie in order to breathe.

"Uncle Charlie," Evie said as she approached him and Paul. The smile on Paul's face made all her girly parts tingle. "It's okay. I kind of wanted to talk to Paul anyways. Plus it looks like you need to referee." She pointed behind towards the living room.

"Five minutes," Charlie said as he walked past her. "Do I have to pull out my cuffs?" he shouted as he approached Edward.

Evie pointed to outside and Paul nodded. She couldn't help but notice how good the black jacket and shirt fit over his muscular body, not to mention how his jeans showed off his ass. He was hot but definitely a heart breaker. She closed the door as he turned around.

"How are you feeling?" he asked. The urge to reach out and pull her into his arms was strong. Her cheeks had a tint of red from the cold air.

"Good actually," she replied leaning against the doorframe. "How's the nurse?" She couldn't help herself from asking or the smile that appeared on her face from his expression.

Paul looked away before his face could give him away. He knew he was wrong for leaving her at the hospital like that but the whole imprint stuff freaked him out. He tried to turn it off by making out with Corina but it was no use. The wolf wanted Evie. Even having Corina naked in his bed, he couldn't do it. He made up some lame excuse of being late for work. Ha! As if he actually had work.

"She's okay I guess," he didn't know what to say. He could see the hurt in her eyes. "I'm sorry for being an idiot but…shit," he ran his hand through his hair. "Hell, I don't even know where to start." He was frustrated with his lack of control. He's never been flustered when it came to woman.

Evie pulled her jacket tighter around her body. The cold air felt like it kicked up a notch. "Look, we both seem to push each other's buttons and I'm sorry for my part in all this but," she stopped talked when her teeth began to chatter.

Paul took off his jacket and wrapped it around her. The cold air didn't bother him. He only wore the jacket because Emily insisted on it. If he wasn't ready to tell Evie then he needed to pretend she told him.

Evie let Paul's scent wash over her as she put her arms in the sleeves. She was instantly warm and relaxed. "Thanks," she whispered. He was so close to her that his breath brushed across her face.

Without thinking Evie stood on her tippy toes and pulled his face down towards her. His lips were soft and gentle. They felt like satin on her skin. She moved her hands to the back of his head and moved her fingers through his short hair. He parted his lips and she took it as an opportunity. She moaned as his delicious tongue touched hers. The taste of him was better than the first time. This kiss wasn't rushed or urgent. It was like a slow heat that was taking its time to build up. She was aware of every cell in her body screaming for her to touch more of him. Nothing mattered at this moment but him.

Paul was in heaven. She tasted better and her scent was intoxicating. Being a wolf they couldn't really get drunk because they burned the alcohol too fast but Evie was different. The wolf wanted to rush it but the man in him was in control. He needed this more than he needed air at the moment. He moved his hands over the curve of ass and gently squeezed. He continued his course leaving one hand on the small of her back right on top of her ass. His other moved up the curve of her small waist pass her ribs to the fullness of her breast. He gently cupped her breast, loving the feel of her in his hand. He moved his hand to the back of her head and deepened the kiss. Her soft moan seemed to mix with his low growl. The mixture had him pulling her closer to him.

Evie loved how he touched her and wanted more of him on her. She lifted her leg and wrapped it around his. She let it slowly move down before moving it back up his leg. The muscles in his legs felt good through his jeans. She wondered want they would feel like with nothing between them. He grabbed her leg before it could move down his leg again. He followed the contour of her calf to the back of her thigh. She moaned as his hand moved over her ass. She had to plant her feet on the ground causing a brief break in their kiss.

Paul only needed that second of loss contact with Evie to realize he didn't want to feel alone. He bent down capturing her lips and lifting her up. When her legs went around his waist he couldn't help picturing her naked in his bed under him. He wanted her moans to fill his room, no his entire house. He pushed her against the wall of the house wanting more of her. He moved his hips against her and heard a soft gasp mixed with a moan. He loved that sound. He moved his hips again and smiled when he heard her make the sound again. There was a ringing sound coming from somewhere but he didn't care.

"Get the hell of my niece," Charlie yelled. His face was red with anger at seeing Paul almost devouring Evie.

Paul could hear the laughter from inside but he ignored it. He didn't have to look at Evie to know her face was just as red as her Uncle's. He gently put her down as she buried her face in his chest he rubbed her back for comfort but it seemed to infuriate Charlie more.

"I am giving you two seconds to step back Paul," Charlie shouted.

Paul stepped back from Evie. He could see the disappointment on her face as he moved away from her. She bit her bottom lip. He had to bite the inside of his mouth to keep from groaning. She looked so fucking good biting her lip.

"Sorry sir, I don't know what came over me," Paul stated. He could see Jacob and Leah heading his way. Fuck, he was never going to hear the end of it. Their smiles seemed to get bigger and bigger with each step. He gave them both a look but they ignored him. He could just imagine what the rest of the pack was going to say. Damn it! Evie was too distracting. How could he not hear the doorbell or Charlie walking towards them?

"Uncle Charlie, don't be mad at Paul. I was the one who initiated the kiss," Evie explained. She couldn't look at Paul. It seemed her hormones were in control when it came to him.

"It was your idea to wrap yourself around him and lean against the doorbell," Charlie snapped. He didn't know how this happen but it was going to stop. She was only sixteen and Paul was well, he was a grown man. He glared at Paul. Okay he was an oversized teenage boy who needed to keep his hands off his niece.

"That's what that ringing sound was," Evie asked surprised.

"It must have been some kiss if you two didn't realized you were leaning on the doorbell," Jacob said laughing.

Charlie looked over his shoulder and shot Jacob a dirty look. Evie took a step back when Charlie looked at her. She could feel Paul's body behind her. His heat seemed to surround her.

"Sorry Uncle Charlie," she whispered. She had to look down at her feet because honestly she wasn't sorry.

Charlie ran his hand down his face. "It's been a long day," he said looking at Evie and Bella. "I think you should say good night to these boys and Leah. There are some things I need to say to both of you." He moved aside to let everyone pass.

"Night Evie," Paul said in a low voice. He didn't dare touch her. With the way he was feeling right now he wouldn't be able to leave Evie. There was no way Charlie would allow him to stay or for Evie to stay with him. Knowing she was okay would have to do for now.

"Night Paul," Evie whispered. She couldn't speak. Between the embarrassment and the need to feel Paul's arms around her, left her feeling raw with emotions.

Jacob gave Bella a hug as Edward shot daggers at him nemesis. Charlie rolled his eyes as he gestured for Jacob to leave. Jacob just smiled and walked out the door. Leah gave Charlie a big smiled before following Jacob. She was looking forward to the ride back to La Push. She knew Paul didn't have his truck with him and he couldn't phase in front of Charlie and Evie.

"Bella, I'll see you later," Edward whispered as he gave her a hug.

"No," Bella replied as she looked in Evie's direction. Edward sighed unhappily and nodded.

"Okay Edward, you can talk to Bella tomorrow," Charlie stated as he put his arm around Bella.

"Night Charlie," Edward politely said before walking out the door.

Charlie rubbed his hands together as he looked at Bella and Evie. "Let's order pizza and have that talk."

Evie and Bella looked at each other and rolled their eyes. This was going to be a long night.

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><p>Charlie didn't waste time after everyone left. He ordered pizza as he began his lecture on the way a boy should treat a girl. The girls had to sit through two hours of him trying to get the words out before he finally gave up.<p>

"Bottom line I don't think Paul is right for you, Evie. He's too old to chase after a sixteen year old girl," Charlie stated as he put his beer down.

"Dad, Paul is sixteen," Bella pointed out. "He is the same age as Evie and Jake."

"It doesn't matter that he is only sixteen. I've heard enough stories about Paul's experience with the opposite sex," he said a bit red in the face.

"Okay," Evie said with her hands in the air. There was no way in hell she would have that conversation with her Uncle. Bad enough to have it with Paul.

"As for you, Bella," he wiped his mouth before continuing. "You need to control your boyfriend and best friend. This house is not a wrestling ring." He took another sip of his beer.

"Yes, I know," Bella replied glancing at her phone. She sighed as a text message from Edward appeared.

"I have a question Uncle Charlie," Evie began. Charlie turned to look at her.

Bella noticed a scared look cross her dads face. Great, what is he hiding now?

"Uh… what would that be Evie?" he took another drink of his beer.

"Well you just forbid me from seeing Paul, which I agree with," Evie said. But then again her reasons were different from Charlie's. Bella gave her a look but she ignored it. "But why forbid me when I probably won't see him after I leave…unless…," she was tapping her fingertips against her lips.

Charlie grabbed her hands. He told Mitchell to talk to Evie about this but he insisted on waiting until he could talk to her face to face. "Your mom wants you to stay with us," he said looking at Bella. "She didn't want you going from one school to another or being left alone for weeks at a time. She knew you didn't like it when you were growing up." He sighed heavily at the situation they now found themselves in.

"She's right," Evie replied wiping a tear. She gave Charlie a smile. "I'm a little tired. I'll see you in the morning." She got up and went upstairs. It was a bit too much to deal with at the moment.

"I'm worried about her dad," Bella quietly said as she watched Evie walk up the stairs.

"Me too kiddo," Charlie replied. "She's holding everything in. I'm afraid for her when she finally breaks. It's a lot to deal with at such a young age." He put his arm around his daughter.

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><p><strong>Thank you for the reviews, I really appreciate them. Thanks to everyone who is now following the story as well as marking it as your favorite. I hope you enjoyed the chapter.<strong>

**Thanks,**

**india8**


	6. Chapter 6

***I don't own any of the characters from Twilight. They belong to Stephenie Meyer. I only own the original characters in this story.**

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><p>Chapter 6<p>

Edward watched as Charlie left to go fishing. He knew Bella was up and in the kitchen making breakfast. He couldn't understand why Bella didn't call him last night. He hated the fact he couldn't be with Bella at night. With her cousin only a few feet away, it made it impossible for him to climb into her bedroom window. Not to mention the wolves contacted Carlisle about guarding the house all night.

He knew Jacob and Paul were out there watching the house and especially him. Paul didn't want anyone near his imprint. He lightly knocked on the door and smiled when he heard Bella walk towards the door. She had no idea how beautiful she was which made her even more beautiful. He loved the way her hair fell down her back.

Bella smiled when she opened the door. Edward was beautiful it was almost painful to look at him. Everything about him was perfect but she was now realizing that perfection wasn't always a good thing.

"Hi," he said bending down and kissing the top of her head. "I was worried when you didn't call me back." He followed her into the kitchen.

"I'm sorry, but the talk with my dad last night kind of wore me out," she replied. She placed pancakes on two plates. "Evie should be down in a moment." She took a seat at the table and quickly took a bite of her food.

"She's brushing her teeth at the moment," he said sitting next to her. "Esme was wondering if you were coming over today. Plus I thought we could talk about my proposal?"

Bella began to cough. Edward lightly tapped her back as she reached for her glass of milk. She gave a sigh of relief when Evie walked into the kitchen. This is one conversation she wasn't ready to have at the moment.

"Are you okay?" Evie asked standing next to Bella.

"Fine," Bella whispered. It was difficult to talk. She took another drink of her milk and tried to take steady breaths.

"Good morning Edward," Evie said as she sat down. "Are you joining us for breakfast?"

"No, I ate before coming over," he answered. He looked her over a moment. She was pretty in her own way but she didn't own the same qualities as Bella. She seemed rough around the edges where Bella was more refined and gentle.

"So what's the plan for today?" Evie asked before taking another bite of her pancakes. She studied the way Edward and Bella interacted. It was so different from Jacob and Bella.

"Bella and I were planning on spending the day with my family. They haven't seen her in a while and I know my mother would love to see her," Edward responded. He gave Bella a small smile but she was frowning at him.

"My dad wants us in La Push for dinner," Bella replied. "With this being Evie's last day here, Billy thought a bonfire would be a great way to end her trip. Uncle Mitchell plans on leaving as soon as he arrives tomorrow." She picked up her dishes and placed them in the sink.

Evie could see the look of disappointment in Edwards's eyes. But she knew that Bella was still struggling with her feelings. "Um, I think I hear my phone," Evie quickly said as she left the kitchen. She felt uncomfortable being in between them. If they were going to argue she didn't want to be around.

Jacob moved as close as he could to the house without being seen. He knew Cullen was pissed that Charlie kicked him out last night. Unfortunately he couldn't hear the being of the conversation until Evie came because of dumbass Paul. He understood about the imprint pulling Paul towards Evie. It seemed the pull was stronger when he was in wolf form versus his human form. Jacob was just about to move a bit closer when he heard Cullen on his phone with the psychic.

"Edward more images, its fast, I can't see," Alice quickly said incoherently.

"Alice, what did you see?" Edward asked as Bella grasped his hand tightly.

"Not sure, it's unclear," Alice replied. She leaned closer to Jasper, letting his ability calm her. It was only one of the reasons she loved him.

Jasper took the phone from Alice. "The images are coming too fast for her to get a clear picture. You need to come home," he said calmly as not to upset Alice.

Carlisle and Esme were talking to Emmett and Rosalie. Their family needed to band together and come up with a plan. Jasper pulled Alice closer and intensified his ability to calm wash over her. He hoped the sense of peace she would most likely feel helped with her visions. He knew by the look on her face the visions were close to the surface but they were probably fading before they were clear.

"Alice is trying to see more but it's difficult," Jasper stated as he felt Alice slip from his arms. "Hurry." He closed the phone and pulled Alice onto his lap.

Jacob and Paul quickly phased and walked up to the back door. Bella saw them coming and immediately opened the door. Edward wasn't happy to see two half naked guys in his girlfriend's kitchen but under the circumstances he couldn't complain.

"Whatever lies you are going to tell leech, don't," Jacob snapped. He didn't bother with being nice. "What did she see?" The pieces of conversation he heard didn't give him much.

Paul moved towards the stairs to keep an ear out for Evie. He could hear her moving around in the room upstairs. Whatever danger that might be coming this way, he was thankful that she was leaving tomorrow. At least she would be safe. But he knew she would be broken when she did return. The thought of her feeling any pain caused him pain.

"Alice couldn't get a clear picture. The visions were bits and pieces and they weren't enough for her to see clearly," Edward answered as honestly as he could. "I need to leave but I can't leave Bella and Evie alone." He turned when Paul growled. "I know you don't trust me but I would never allow any harm to come to your imprint."

Paul just stared at the leech not knowing if he was saying those things to please Bella or if it was the truth. He looked at Jacob to see if he believed the vamp.

"Stay with the girls until I come back for them," Jacob said. "They will be safe in La Push with the rest of the pack on the Res while we talk." He could see Edward thinking about it. He showed him which wolves would be on the Res with the girls. "You know she will be safe." He glanced at Bella who had her arms around her midsection.

"Hurry," Edward commented reluctantly. "I will let Carlisle know to expect everyone in twenty minutes." He pulled out his phone.

Jacob headed to door but Bella caught his arm. He could see the scared look in her eyes but he also saw something else that had him confused. "Jake you don't have to do this," Bella began to say. "I couldn't bare it if something happen to you." She was trembling as she held his hands. Jacob tried to hide his happiness at being close to Bella but of course the leech could hear him.

Edward knew Bella was worried about Jacob. It didn't bother him the way she held onto Jacob. His nemesis can think what he wants. Bella was his, not the dogs.

"Bella," Jacob scoffed. "This is what we do." He gave her a quick hug and nodded for Paul to follow him. "I'll be right back. I promise."

Bella reluctantly let him go. She wanted nothing more than to keep him safe but she knew he would still do anything and everything to keep her safe. He gave her a big sunny smile. It seemed to drive away the dark clouds and leave nothing but the sun shining in his wake.

"Paul," Jacob snapped. "The sooner we leave the faster we can get back." He ignored the look Cullen was giving him. He could keep Bella safe too.

"Fine," Paul said as he looked at the stairs. He moved past Bella but stopped and took a step towards the leech. "If anything happens to Evie before I get back," he whispered with enough venom to make Edward take a step back. "It will be your head."

"Nothing will happen," Edward replied. He looked at Jacob for a moment before turning to look at Paul. "I promise." Paul nodded before walking towards the back door.

"Let's go," Paul said sternly. "I'll feel better when Evie is safe on the Res." He followed Jacob out the door.

Bella leaned against Edward. "When you meet with the others, I want to be there," she stated. "You can't protect me from everything." She looked up at him as he contemplated her request.

"Hey did I hear Jacob and Paul earlier?" Evie asked as she walked into the kitchen.

"They are actually on their way over here to take us to La Push. I know how much you love being near the ocean so I called Jake," Bella lied. Evie looked at her for moment before nodding. "Since you're dressed, I'm going to change too." Bella quickly headed upstairs.

"So what's really going on?" Evie asked as soon as Bella was out of the room. She knew her cousin was lying.

"I beg your pardon," Edward responded as if he had no idea what she was talking about.

"Hmm," she scoffed. "Okay, play it your way." She turned around and headed towards the living room. "Nothing ever stays a secret." There was something going on and she was going to find out.

* * *

><p>"Another beautiful day on the beach," Seth happily chanted as he sat next to Evie. They were watching Collin and Brady throw each other into the water. There were a group of kids from Forks throwing a football around. "You've been quiet since we got here. What's up?" He knew that she was upset with Bella for leaving her here while she left with Jacob and Paul.<p>

"Don't act like you don't know why I'm mad," Evie retorted giving him a look. "I know you know something and not telling me is a bad way to start a friendship." She lightly punched him in the arm.

He gave her a goofy smile. "You're going to be my friend anyway," he teased. "Besides it's not my secret to tell…while not my secret alone to tell." He knew Sam would get mad but she's Paul's imprint. Soon or later she would find out.

Evie looked into Seth's eyes and knew whatever it was, it was big and not her place to push, yet. "Your right, I need to stop pushing. I'm just worried about Bella. She's had to deal with so much in regards to her mom. She deserves being a teenager for once," she said with a small smile.

"Hey watch where you're throwing the ball," Seth yelled as he caught a football that was heading straight for Evie's head.

"Sorry man," a tall blond guy said as he jogged over to Seth and Evie. "Are you okay?" he asked looking at Evie. His light blue eyes seemed to lock on her. His tall lean frame showed off his toned muscles. The fact that he actually had a tan was impressive considering the weather. He gave her a once over and smiled. It didn't matter that Seth was right next to Evie this guy continued to look her over like she was a new toy to play with.

"I'm good. Just glad that Seth here has quick reflexes," Evie motioned to Seth.

Brady and Collin were jogging towards them but Seth waved them off. They nodded and headed towards the rocks. Seth didn't like him for the simple fact that he was practically undressing Evie and didn't even try to hide it.

The guy looked at Seth. "The ball got away from me. We would never intentionally throw anything at your girl," he said looking at his friends who were standing around waiting for him. He gave the girl his best smile. It wouldn't be the first time he stole a guy's girl.

Seth and Evie looked at each other and burst out laughing. "Evie's not my girlfriend," Seth replied still laughing. Paul would kill him.

"Yeah Seth and I are just friends," Evie added. "By the way I'm Evie McIntyre and this is Seth Clearwater." She noticed Seth tense up.

"Sorry," he shook hands with Seth. "I'm Wyatt Abbott." He turned to shake hands with Evie but stopped. He moved back a few steps when he noticed a huge guy approaching them.

"Hey baby," Paul whispered as he put his arm around Evie's waist, slightly twisting her sideways. He enjoyed the way she fit perfectly next to him.

Evie looked up and was caught off guard when Paul leaned down and kissed her. She didn't know what to say or do. She could feel her cheeks getting warm. Her hand was resting on his naked chest. The heat pouring off him seemed to relax her. He had that same smile on his face as last night. Her girly parts were tingling and her panties were ready to drop to the ground.

"Hey Wyatt," Paul said looking him over. "I'm Paul Lahote, Evie's boyfriend." He noticed the look of disappointment on Wyatt's face. He smirked at the other guy's expression. "We have to go. Everyone is waiting for us at Sam's." He tapped Seth on the shoulder and whistled for Brady and Collin to follow. Normally he would tear this guy a part for looking at Evie but he had to control his anger. He couldn't lose it like Sam.

"Sure," Wyatt said looking at Evie. He took a step back when Seth threw him the football. Damn the kid had an arm.

Evie allowed Paul to guide her towards a black pickup truck. He opened the passenger door for her and helped her inside. She opened her mouth to say something but Paul shook his head. She frowned at him before looking straight out the window. She gave Seth a dirty look but he just shrugged. Seth, Brady and Collin jumped into the back of the truck before Paul got into the driver seat.

Paul didn't say a word as he started the truck. He tapped her arm as he reached over and put her seatbelt on. He knew she was pissed but it was either kiss her or rip Abbott a part. As much as he wanted to, he knew that would scare Evie away. He knew Abbott was a big shot on the football team at Forks High but he was also a douche. He liked to date the girls on the Res until he got what he wanted and then he moved on to the next girl. Fuck that, he didn't want that asshole near his girl.

Paul stopped at Sam's to let the guys get off. He grabbed Evie's arm when she made a move to take her seatbelt off. "We need to talk," he whispered. He knew the pack was watching them as he drove off. He wasn't sure about telling her about the imprint but he knew he needed to say something. The imprint felt stronger on his end but he could start to feel a slight pull from her as well.

Evie didn't say anything as they drove pass a few scattered houses. The right turn he made down a little dirt road was surrounded by trees. It quickly opened up to a huge area that had a white little two story house sitting in the middle. She remembered seeing this house the day of the bonfire. As plain as it was, she liked it. There was something simply beautiful about the entire landscape. The anger she felt earlier towards him slipped away.

"Is this your house?" Evie asked. She knew it was just by looking at it. The place suited him. The porch looked like it went around the entire house. She could picture a younger Paul running around the front yard laughing.

Paul didn't say anything as he turned off the engine. He looked at his house with a bit of sadness. It was the only thing his deadbeat father left him and his mother. "Yeah," he finally answered. He could see where the paint was chipping. The porch needed new boards and the railing was falling apart.

"It's beautiful," she gasped getting out of the truck. She walked to the steps that led to the front door. She was surprised to see carved roses on the top of the newel posts.

"I wouldn't go that far," Paul grumbled as he stood behind her.

Evie walked up a step before turning around to face him. "You really need to learn to take a compliment," she said with a smile. The thought of Paul picking her up and carrying her over the threshold crossed her mind. She pushed that ridiculous fantasy out of her head.

Paul stepped forward and lightly brushed his lips against hers. "I'll think about it," he whispered. He moved her hair away from her face. She really was beautiful. Everything about her drew him in.

"Well your thinking about it," Evie began. "Do you mind showing me around?" She took another step up, giving herself a bit of space from him. Being close to him was playing with her hormones. His lips were begging for a kiss and she was more than willing to accommodate them.

He smiled as he heard her heartbeat quicken. It made him wonder what she was thinking about. He was enjoying the effect he had on her. "Sure," he replied. He took her hand and walked up the last few steps before opening the door for her.

Evie looked around the living room. The couch and recliner didn't match but they were both dark brown. The coffee table was beige and matched the color of the room. There were trophies on a small shelf. She could see a few baseball as well as football trophies. The bookshelf in the corner was a bit of a surprise. It looked like most of the titles on the books were classic stories.

"The living room isn't much," Paul said as he led her to another room. "The kitchen was bigger but my dad and I used the back space to add a laundry room," he explained. He leaned against the counter as he watched Evie look around. "But it's just me now."

The light blue color of the kitchen reminded Evie of a beautiful sky and the white cabinets were the puffy perfect clouds. There was a door that she assumed led to the laundry room. The kitchen table was a big square with four chairs. She turned around to look out the window that was above sink.

"You don't live with your parents?" she asked a bit curious. She caught the dark look in his eyes.

"It's not something I like to talk about," he said looking away. He noticed her take a step towards him but she stopped. He could hear her take a shaky breath.

"It's just me and mom," she said running her hand along the counter top. "Our house is by the beach. My dad lives in Seattle. The loft is big with all his camera equipment." She smirked as she looked at her feet.

"I take it you don't visit your dad often," Paul crossed his arms as he leaned against the door frame. The sunlight filtering through the window cast a halo effect around her.

"Not really," she sighed. "After my parents divorced, my dad was busy with work. I think he had a hard time being around my mom. It took a long time before he started to visit us." She leaned against the counter. "But now he's back to missing visits and cancelling trips. I think it started when my mom started dating Derek." She remembered the embrace she saw between her mom and Derek Smith, her attorney.

"Your dad's probably still in love with your mom," he offered as a reason. He watched her mull over what he said.

"True, but I think my mom and Derek only started dating a year or two ago. They haven't said anything to me but I wouldn't mind if they dated. Derek is a great guy. A few years younger than my mom but he is a great father figure." She wrapped her arms around her mid-section.

"Does your dad know?" he asked. She tapped her fingers against her lips. It was a bit distracting but also seductive.

This conversation was a new thing for him. Normally he brought someone home; they would go straight to bed. No talking, no getting to know each other. But this was completely different. He wanted to know everything about Evie.

"Yeah, he knows. I was ten and there was a father-daughter dance. My dad cancelled," she said remembering how hurt she was. "He promised to go but at the last minute some magazine wanted him to shoot the cover. He suggested I take Derek. At first I didn't want to go without my dad. But then I thought why should I miss out on having fun?" She gave him a small smile.

"Derek's been your stand in dad ever since?" Paul knew the answer by looking at her face.

"Yeah he has," Evie smiled with a little laugh. "This is why I think he and my mom would make a great couple." She wished they would have acted on it sooner.

"Not my parents," he scoffed. "I doubt they ever loved each other." He looked away trying to push the memories of the fights his parents would have out of his head.

Evie wanted to comfort him but she had a feeling he would look at it as pity. "What's upstairs?" she asked walking out of the kitchen. Her hand brushed along his arm. She headed towards the stairs.

"There are three rooms and a bathroom," he replied. That simple touch calmed him. She changed the subject without making him feel awkward or as if he did something wrong. He followed her up the stairs. He got hard watching her hips sway.

She looked into the first room. There was a desk and chair next to a huge window that had a great view of the trees that lined the small dirt road. The other window had a view of trees that surrounded the backyard. She smiled when Paul placed a hand on the small of her back. She walked to the next room but was a bit surprised to see it empty. The view from the room was the same as the last one.

Paul let his hand slip around her waist as she walked down the hall pass the bathroom to his room. He pushed back the door to allow her to enter. He couldn't understand how she looked at each room with awe.

The room was huge with a big window overlooking the backyard. She could see a glimpse of the ocean beyond the trees. There was a chair in the corner and a dresser in the other. The closet door was open but it didn't look like there was much in there. She tried not to look at the bed but it was hard to miss the king size bed. The head board was oval shaped and covered with pillows. The comforter was black and barely touched the floor.

"Well I'm impressed. I figured a guy who lived alone would have a pigsty for a house," she said with a laugh. She turned around to see him frown and roll his eyes. This new side of him was a lot better than his grumpy side.

"Funny," he retorted. He walked to the bed and sat down. He patted the spot next to him.

Evie was biting the corner of her lip. She took a deep breath and sat next to him but she turned to face him. The extra space made her feel a little better. "What did you want to talk about?" she asked placing her hands in her lap.

Paul rubbed the back of his neck. It was stupid of him to have her in his room. Her scent was slowly moving around him. The more he looked at her, his control slowly slipped away. He brushed his fingers lightly across her cheek. Her eyes closed as she leaned into his touch. He knew it was wrong but he couldn't stop himself. He brushed his lips against hers as he scooted closer to her.

Evie moved her hands up Paul's chest to his shoulders. She wanted to pull away but her body had its own ideas. Her hands were around his neck pulling him closer. The kiss intensified quickly. It wasn't just Paul's hands moving over her body, she was quickly exploring his naked chest and back. The feel of his skin under her fingertips was amazing. She felt warm and safe as his arms wrapped around her.

He pulled Evie onto his lap breaking the kiss. He looked into her eyes and for a brief moment he felt the imprint connection to her. "You're so beautiful," he whispered. She bit her lip and smiled.

Heat seemed to surround them. "You're not bad yourself," Evie whispered back. He gave her a rare smile that made her heartbeat quicken and her stomach doing a flips.

They both moved in for another kiss. She moaned as he explored her mouth with his talented tongue. His hands were in her hair loving the feel of her silky waves moving through his fingers. As hard as he tried to fight the imprint, he was completely lost to it. Her scent was all around his house and seemed to encase him in its warmth. He tried hard to be gentle with her but his senses were on overload.

She moved her hands through his short hair and gently tugged on the short strands. He gave a low growl, it sounded primal and sexy as hell. She gave his hair another tug and gasped when he moved them across the bed. He was lying on top of her rubbing her cheeks with his thumbs as he stared into her eyes. She could feel every inch of him against her.

He gently kissed her but he needed to more. He kissed along her neck as she wrapped her legs around him. Her skin was soft and sweet. Her breasts were rubbing against his chest creating a sensation that he couldn't describe. It wasn't the first time he had breasts rubbing against him but this was Evie, his imprint. There were too many feelings and emotions to describe having her underneath him.

Her hands were in his hair but it wasn't enough. His scent was all around her. She was getting frustrated not being able touch more of him. She moved her hands to his shoulders and rolled them over until she was on top. Her hair spilled down on either side of her face. She sat back pulling him up with her. She kissed his neck and wrapped her legs around him.

Paul groaned as she kissed and sucked on his neck. His hands were under her shirt rubbing her back. Everything about her was drawing him in. He pulled up her shirt and tossed it to the side. He looked at her breasts and licked his lips. He kissed along the top of her bra as he unfastened it. Evie gasped as he slowly pulled down the strap of her bra while kissing her shoulder. He left a trail of hot kisses along her collar bone as he slipped the other strap down and kissed her shoulder. She went to cover herself.

"Don't," he whispered with a small smile. Her nipples were a delicious brown. He cupped her breasts as she bit her lip. He moved his thumbs over her breasts till he reached her nipples. They immediately perked up, begging for attention.

"Mmmm," Evie moaned as Paul sucked and nibbled on her. Her head fell back as she moaned.

His tongue swirled around her nipple. He playfully twisted her other nipple between his finger and thumb. Her hands were in his hair as she kissed his temple. He flicked her nipple with his tongue and then gently sucked and nibbled. After hearing her gasp and moan, he smiled and moved to her under nipple. Her head fell back as a moan left her mouth. It was loud and full of satisfaction. Her soft moans and raspy gasps had him harder than he could have ever imagined.

He rolled them over as he moved his lips and tongue down her stomach. Her back was arched off the bed. She tasted better with each lick. He unbuttoned her shorts as he kissed along her stomach. Her arousal hit him hard when he pulled her shorts off. Before he even touched her, he knew her panties were wet. He removed his shorts in one quick move.

She moaned as he ran his finger over her panties. She lifted her hips begging him to touch her again. His lips were moving over her hips as his hands slowly pulled her panties down her thighs. It was like fire slowly burning before it started to consume. She grabbed a fist full of comforter when he ran his finger over her clit. A loud moan filled the room when he flicked her clit once and cried out when he continued to flick her and gently rub her now swollen clit.

Paul watched her come undone. He knew she was close but he didn't want her to come just yet. He slowly moved up her body leaving kisses along her stomach and over her breasts. He reached over to the nightstand as he kissed her full lips. He pictured those lips around him as he slowly moved in and out of her mouth. He pulled away to look at her. Her eyes were glazed over and looked sexy as hell.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked with a bit of lust and hesitation. He knew once he had her that there was no turning back. He wanted her but was afraid of losing her when she learned the truth about him. Maybe it was selfish to have her without her knowing the truth but at this moment he didn't care. The pull for her was too strong.

"Yes," she said in a small voice. He was caressing her cheek. She moved her hand up and down his arm. She could feel him on her thigh. By just the feel of him she knew he was huge. A scared thought ran through her mind, how was he going to fit inside her.

Paul gently bit her bottom lip and sucked it into his mouth. He opened the condom and put it on without breaking the kiss. He moaned as he positioned himself between her legs. It was like she was made for him. He fit perfectly. As soon as he entered her in one swift move he knew something was wrong. He was too tall to see the expression or the tears in her eyes.

"Aaa," Evie cried out. She covered her face with her hands. She couldn't move. He was deep inside her, it made her feel full. She couldn't understand how he fit.

"Oh God," he whispered pulling away from her as far as he could without pulling out. She was too tight. "Why didn't you tell me?" His voice was gentle but instead he and his wolf were angry for hurting her. He could smell blood.

"I don't know," she said in a small voice.

He gently pulled out of her and cringed when she cried out. He held her close as he smelled the tears she shed. He easily lifted her up and carried her to the bathroom. He moved the curtain aside and turned the water on. He disposed of the condom. Everything he wanted to tell her didn't seem to matter anymore. The only thing he could do was take care of her. She wasn't crying anymore but she refused to look at him.

Evie felt embarrassed and humiliated. How could she be so stupid? How was going to pull off losing her virginity undetected? She felt when he moved her hair out of the way but she refused to move her hands. He held her and rubbed her back. It relaxed her but she still felt stupid.

"Evie, please look at me," Paul gently prodded. He kissed the top of her head.

"I can't," she said behind her hands. She was thankful that she wasn't crying anymore. "It's embarrassing."

He couldn't take it anymore. With one hand he was able to move her hands and with his other he held her head in place. She looked down for a moment but eventually looked up. "You have nothing to feel embarrassed about," he said looking into her hazel eyes. The dark look in her eyes made him hard.

"You didn't feel embarrassed your first time?" she asked in a disbelieving voice. Here she was naked sitting on a gorgeous naked guy and that alone should be embarrassing but it felt normal. She was embarrassed at not telling him how inexperienced she was at sex.

"Well no," he answered with a big grin. She rolled her eyes. "It's different for guys. Sex is just sex, you know physical but for a girl it's more emotional." He let go of her hands and caressed her cheek. "But you're different and it should be something special." He ran his thumb over her lips.

Evie pulled his face towards her and kissed him softly on the lips. She knew he wanted her as much as she wanted him. "Then why are we in here?" Her simple question actually made his heart skip a beat.

Paul was never nervous but at this very moment Evie made him nervous. The look in her eyes and the way she held his face in her small hands, he needed, no he wanted to be everything she would ever need. He kissed her slowly letting her know that he wanted this too. He turned off the shower and carried her back to the room. He threw the comforter in the corner and pulled the sheet from the bed to wrap around Evie. He sat on the edge of the bed before moving away from her. He reached in the nightstand and pulled out a condom.

"Are you sure it's me you want?" he asked. The sound of hope in his voice scared him. He never wanted anything in his life as much as he wanted Evie. She was perfection.

Evie stood up and opened the condom wrapper. She gave him a shy smile as she reached down and rolled the condom over him. Her eyes seemed to get bigger as she rolled the condom over his full length. She bit her lip and took a steady breath. She kissed him slowly before nibbling on his bottom lip. "I can't explain how I know but in my heart and head, I know you were meant to be the one," she whispered.

Paul pulled the sheet around her before picking her up. She was straddling him with her arms around his neck. "I will be as gentle as possible but if it's too much, promise me you will say something," he said looking her straight in the eyes. The lust in her eyes was intoxicating. She nodded yes.

He moved his hands under her beautiful ass and slowly lowered her on him. They both moaned as he entered her. Fuck, she felt so good around him. She was so tight but seemed to stretch just for him as he continued to enter her. He heard her gasp when he was fully in.

"Breath baby, slow and steady," he whispered as he kissed her neck. "Yeah, just like that. If it hurts too much tell me baby." He didn't move as he whispered to her.

Evie took a shaky breath and moaned at the fullness of him inside her. It still amazed her how she could stretch that much to accommodate something so huge. She looked into his eyes and smiled at the dark pools that showed nothing but pure lust for her. She put that look in his eyes. She pulled up on him and slowly lowered herself back on him. He growled and buried his head on her shoulder and hair. She lifted herself again lowering herself a little harder. The growl that erupted from him sent delicious shivers down her spin.

Paul grabbed her hips as she once again lifted herself. When she came back down he thrust up meeting her. She called out his name throwing her head back. Hearing his name called out in ecstasy was better than he ever imagined. He continued to thrust in and out of her at a slow steady pace. Each time his body shook with little tremors as she said his name.

Evie looked him in the eye and nodded. She wanted all of him. There was no denying what they both wanted and needed.

He rolled them on the bed, shoving all the pillows under her so she was almost sitting up against the headboard. He wanted to see her face every time he moved inside her. She pulled him down for a kiss that quickly heated up and intensified. He moaned her name when her nails ran down his arms and back. She didn't do it hard; not knowing it wouldn't leave a mark. He wished it would though, he wanted to see the pleasure he gave her when he looked at his arms or back in the mirror.

She moaned and called his name with each snap of his hips. Her body took the quick and fast pace he set as he entered her. She felt a small fire building up. It was like he knew what she was feeling. He moved his hand between them and flicked her clit. Her body felt super sensitive with every touch.

"Yes," she moaned. She could see a smirk on his face as he flicked her clit again. "Paul, don't stop," she cried out. He kissed her as he pinched and rubbed her swollen clit between his fingers. She felt the fire in her explode as she cried out in pleasure. He kissed her neck and picked up the pace as she rode out her orgasm.

Shit, he was ready to come himself. Evie was throwing him off his game. "Come for me again," he whispered in her ear before licking around the shell of it. "I love hearing you call my name as you come all over my dick."

Evie didn't need any encouraging. The slight friction that rubbed on her clit combined with Paul talking dirty, it was more than enough. The fire was building up but this time it was different. Her walls were contracting with each thrust. She wrapped her legs around him and pushed him deeper inside her. She came so hard she was seeing white spots.

Paul grabbed the head board when Evie pulled him closer by wrapping her legs around him. He thrust a bit harder into her and smirked when she cried out lifting her hips to meet his. The head board was banging hard and fast against the wall as he entered her. He knew he was close and was trying to hold off but when she moaned his name and ran her hand down his back to his ass he couldn't hold off much longer.

"Paul," she said in a throaty whimper.

He was done. "Evie," he cried out as his whole body shook from unadulterated pleasure.

Paul collapsed on top of her as they were both breathing hard. He kissed her before rolling away and disposing of the condom. He moved next to her pulling her close. Her head was resting on his chest as she lazily moved her fingers across his stomach.

"How do you feel?" he asked playing with a strain of her hair. Her body felt wonderful on him. He felt completely content.

"A little sore but it a good way," she replied. "Does that make sense?" She rested her chin on her hand and looked up at him.

He smiled before leaning down to kiss her. "Yeah, it makes perfect sense," he replied. He kissed her again and smiled when she straddled him.

"I noticed you guys have the same tattoo," she said rubbing her hand over his upper right arm. "Is it a tribal thing?" The design was beautiful.

"Yeah it's something like that," he answered. She smiled at him before looking at the tattoo again.

He moved her hair away from her face as he kissed her full lips. She tasted better with each kiss. His scent was all over her. The mixture of their scent had his wolf doing a happy dance. Wolf, he was supposed to talk to her before anything happen between them. Fuck! He pushed the thought to the back of his head. They could talk later.

"Are you serious?" Evie asked a bit shocked. She looked down and bit her bottom lip.

Paul smiled as he flipped them over. Evie screamed before giggling. "Round two," he replied reaching into the nightstand.

* * *

><p>Paul kissed a sleeping Evie on her cheek before heading off to take a shower. He turned on the water to let it get hot but it was pretty much useless. The temperature of his body was almost always hotter than the water. He smiled at the fading nail marks on his arms. Fuck, she was good. The water poured down him with a sigh of regret. He loved her scent on him. It calmed him and the wolf. But he knew the pack would know immediately what had transpired once they caught the scent of sex. He wouldn't do that to her.<p>

In between their many rounds of fun, he couldn't believe how effortlessly it was to talk to her. They talked about her school, parents and how she wanted to teach. She finally told him why she broke up that idiot of a boyfriend of hers. How the fuck do you cheat on Evie? He had a strong urge to beat the shit out of him. He even told her how he liked to build things, whether it was a car or a house. But it was mostly cars. There was something about being able to put a carburetor together or an engine. Especially getting a car to run after most people give up or can't figure out what's wrong with it. She didn't laugh at him or tell him college was a better choice. She believed in him.

He grabbed the soap and quickly washed up. Evie still needed to take a shower before heading over to the bluffs to meet up with the pack. Shit, Sam. That's another problem to deal with. He could already hear the lecture his Alpha would no doubt give him for not telling Evie the truth. It wasn't an easy thing to tell someone.

Damn it, just thinking about her was getting him hard. She sure shocked the hell out of him with her insatiable appetite for sex or maybe just for him. He smiled thinking how she kept up with their many rounds of sex. Of course the last one almost knocked her out as soon as they started. But she quickly fixed that by riding him like a champ.

He looked down at his hard erection and groaned as it throbbed in his hand. One more round couldn't hurt. He quickly shut off the shower and dried up. He headed to the room to see his personal angel. Hell two more rounds was always an option. His smile got bigger as he pictured her bouncing on him and moaning his name. He threw the towel over his shoulder.

The music playing on her phone stopped him in his tracks. He dug through her shorts and glanced at the caller ID before answering, Swan, great. "Hello," he whispered not wanting to wake up Evie. Just yet, he thought with a smile.

"Paul?" she asked confused. "Where's Evie?" She knew Paul was going to tell Evie everything. But her dad and Billy were on their way to beach for the bonfire and if Evie wasn't here, Charlie would blow a gasket.

"She's sleeping at the moment," he scoffed. Leave it to the leech lover to ruin the moment. He quickly wrapped the towel around his waist.

"Is she okay?" Bella began to panic. Jacob rubbed her back as she talked on the phone. He could hear the heavy sigh Paul made. He held out his hand for the phone which surprising enough Bella gave to him.

"Paul how did she take the news?" Jacob asked. He held Bella against him offering her his support. It was silent for a few minutes.

"I didn't tell her," Paul finally confessed. It wasn't something he could just blurt out. He needed a little more time.

"You idiot," Jacob retorted. "Sam is going to rip you a new one not to mention Charlie for God only knows what you did with Evie. Get her over here now!" He ended the call and handed it to Bella.

"Please tell me he didn't," Bella pleaded. She looked around quickly to make sure they had some semblance of privacy. "She's a virgin," she whispered as quietly as possible.

"I know," he whispered back.

Paul looked at the phone and then at Evie. He ran his hand down his face and knew what he needed to do versus what he wanted to do. The knock on the door downstairs had him throwing his head back and silently swearing. Leave it to the one member in the pack to cock block his move.

He debated whether to ignore the knock and the person downstairs or actually answer the door. He heard the door open downstairs. Well that took his options away. He moved the sheet securely over Evie and gently kissed her cheek. She looked down right gorgeous in his bed naked. He knew it wouldn't be the last time either. If he got his way she would be in his bed every night. There was no reason for her not to, he thought as he walked downstairs.

Leah was standing at the door with smirk on her face. She threw a vinyl bag at Paul when he was halfway down the stairs. "You might want to air out the place. Her scent is everywhere and it's mixed with sex," she said with a shake of her head.

"I like the way it smells," he stated. He raised the bag.

"It's for Evie. She might want to smell like a girl and not a girl who had sex with a wolf," she pointed out. He gave her a dirty look before nodding. "There's also a change of clothes for her." She laughed as she closed the door.

He walked back up the stairs and placed the bag in the bathroom for Evie. As he entered the room he stopped for a moment to look at her. She was sound asleep on her stomach. Her hair was fanned out over the pillow.

He walked over and lightly kissed her lips. She tasted better each time. He watched her turn and stretch with her arms over her head and her back arched. Her breasts were exposed and he couldn't resist a small nibble of her perfect nipple.

"Mmmm," she moaned. Her hands were in his hair. "I think this is the only way I want to be woken up." She bit her lip when he moved to her other nipple. He gently bit and sucked on it.

Paul pulled away for a moment. "I think I can arrange that," he smiled before leaning in and kissing her gently and thoroughly. Her lips parted as her little tongue danced with his. She pulled him closer and deepened the kiss. He wrapped his arms around her as he slide under the covers. She removed his towel and caressed him. Her thumb moved the pre-cum around his tip. He reached into the nightstand but stopped.

"You have to fucking be kidding me," he groaned as he pulled out an empty box.

Evie giggled before covering her mouth. She tried to stop laughing but his facial expression was priceless. She heard her phone ring and crawled on top of him to reach for it on the nightstand. "I don't' remember putting it there," she said before answering her phone. "Hello." He grabbed her hips and kept her on top of him.

"Where are you?" Bella asked frustrated. "I told Paul you need to be here before Charlie gets here. Jacob is bringing Charlie and Billy in half an hour."

Evie looked at her phone. "I'm sorry I lost track of time," she explained with a small laugh. She looked at Paul but he just shrugged. She gave him a dirty look.

"I don't even want to know," Bella scoffed. "Hurry up."

"Have Jacob stall them. We'll be right there," Evie said before hanging up. "You should have told me Bella called. We have to go." She tried to get up but Paul stopped her.

"I'm sorry for not waking you earlier. But I wanted more time with you," he confessed. Shit, now he sounded like a pussy. "Leah stopped by and dropped off a bag with a change of clothes for you. Everything is in the bathroom." He picked her up and wrapped the sheet around her. "There are towels in the cabinet." She got on her tippy toes and kissed him.

Evie didn't waste time as she entered the bathroom. She turned the shower on and then opened the bag. She pulled everything out and placed them on the counter. She dropped the sheet and caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror.

"Oh my God," she cried out. There were hickeys over her breasts, stomach, thighs and big one on her neck. She wrapped the sheet around herself when Paul ran into the bathroom and stared at her. "You are in so much trouble," she said a bit upset as she pointed her finger at him.

"What?" he asked innocently. He tried not to smile but he couldn't help it. He loved seeing his marks on her gorgeous body.

"Don't play innocent. You know what," she scoffed. She looked over his body and hit his chest. "I know for a fact I scratched up your arms and back." She glanced at his back before holding his arm up to inspect. "How is it that you don't have a single mark on you?"

"You barely ran your fingers over me," he said with a laugh. She gave him a dirty look. He wrapped his arms around her. "You'll just have to try harder next time." He kissed her before walking out of the bathroom.

"I'll have to remember that the next time I decide to have sex with someone," she laughed. He growled before turning around. She took a step back and held her breath. For a split second, the furious look in his eyes scared her.

"That's not funny," he said angrily. He took two steps and was standing in front of her.

"Paul, I was joking," she said rubbing his chest. "Relax." She could feel him relax under her touch.

He grabbed her hand and kissed her palm. "You need to hurry and take a shower," he said. He kissed her forehead and walked out of the bathroom.

Paul could hear her get in the shower. He picked up his phone and dialed Jared. "Hey, we should be there in a few," he started to say.

"Sam is pissed, just so you know," Jared quickly said. "He knows you didn't tell Evie and wants to talk to you as soon as you get here." He felt bad for his pack brother but this was something Paul needed to figure out before it was too late.

"Let me guess, Baby Alpha told him," he retorted. He heard the shower shut off. "That kid needs to fuckin' get laid and stay out of my business." He ran his hand down his face.

"Actually it was Emily," Jared replied. "Bella was talking to her and Kim." Jared watched as Kim and Bella placed blankets around the bonfire.

"I'll see you in a few," Paul stated. He hung up the phone as Evie walked into the room. "You clean up good." He watched as her hips swayed with each step.

"At least all your love bites are hidden," she replied as she put her shoes on.

"I think they look hot on you," he responded with a smirk.

"I don't think Uncle Charlie will see it that way," she said picking up her phone. She glanced at Paul and shrugged. "What?"

"Nothing," he replied as he left the room. She shook her head and followed him.

Evie glanced at her phone and sighed. She had a wonderful day with Paul. He seemed to open up and relax. She had a bad feeling that once they were around his friends the mask would appear and he would be the same idiot as before. She was biting her lip when something hit her in the face.

"Hey," she protested. She pulled the material from her face to see Paul laughing. "Hahaha, very funny," she muttered. She looked at the dark gray hooded sweatshirt.

"It gets cold out on the bluff," he said. He smiled as she put on this sweatshirt. It fit her too big; it went down to her thighs. She was so tiny.

"You could have just told me instead of throwing this at me," she responded. He opened the door for her. "You are such a gentleman," she said as she walked by him.

Paul couldn't resist. He smacked her ass and smiled when she yelled. She turned around and glared at him as she rubbed her ass. "Sorry, I couldn't resist," he laughed. He picked her up and carried her to the truck.

"I will get you back," she stated as he put her down. She got into the truck and watched he run around the front of the truck.

"I'm so scared," he said in a mocking tone. "Put your seatbelt on." She rolled her eyes but put her seatbelt on.

"What about you?" she asked looking at him.

"I'm tough. I can handle a few scrapes," he replied with a shrug. "Besides who cares if something happens to me," he scoffed. He turned down the road that led to the bluffs.

"I care if something happens to you," Evie said in a small voice. "I'm sure Jacob and Seth would care too." She reached over and rubbed his arm.

He captured her hand and kissed her palm. "Sorry, I didn't mean it. I say things without thinking sometimes," he could see the hurt look on her face. "Evie, I don't know how to act or say things without hurting someone. It's kind of a survival thing I learned from my old man." He took a deep breath. Thinking of his dad brought up bad memories.

"Hey," Evie whispered as she shook their hands. "You don't have to talk about it until you're ready." She kissed his hand and placed it on her lap. The rest of the ride they didn't say a word.

Paul parked next to Sam's truck. He kissed Evie's hand before they got out of the truck. He could feel his pack brothers watching them. He didn't care if they looked at him but he didn't like them looking at her. He kept his eyes straight ahead as he debated taking Evie back to his house.

"Whatever you're thinking, don't," Evie ordered. She intertwined their fingers and pulled him towards the bonfire that Jared and Seth started.

"About time you two showed up," Quil called out to them. He was standing next to the food table. They walked over to the tables instead. She could see Bella and Emily putting out some food. "You must be starving Evie." Quil gave her mischievous smile.

"Shut up Quil," Paul growled. He knew Quil was itching to tease Evie but there was no way in hell that was going to happen.

"What?" Quil asked with a shrug. "I just thought Evie might be hungry after an afternoon of the horizontal mambo." He moved away before Paul's fist connected with his face.

Sam, Jared and Seth seemed to show up out of nowhere. Sam cuffed Quil behind the head. Seth moved towards Paul and Evie but Jared stopped him. He knew all too well how it felt when you feel someone is trying to hurt your imprint. They all knew Quil wouldn't do that but with a hot temper person like Paul, any remark towards Evie would definitely send him into protective mode.

Evie patted Paul's chest. "Paul," she whispered. His body was shaking and she heard Emily and Bella gasp. "You're scaring everyone. Please stop." She touched his cheek.

Paul closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He held Evie against his side. Her touched seemed to calm him down. He looked down at her scared eyes. "Thanks," he whispered. "Just stay next to me for a while." He tightened his hold on her.

"I'm not going anywhere," Evie said trying to reassure him. The tension in the air was thick. "The food looks great. You ladies did an amazing job." She smiled at Bella and Emily.

"Thanks," they said at the same time. They looked at each other and smiled.

Sam couldn't help but notice how quickly Paul calmed down at Evie's touch. She seemed able to control him without even knowing.

"Where's Kim?" Evie asked looking at Jared. She felt Paul tense up when she looked in Jared's direction. This jealous side of Paul was something she didn't expect. She rubbed his back in slow lazy circles. His breathing seemed to go back to normal.

"She's helping Leah with the blankets," he answered glancing in Kim's direction. He smiled watching her shake out the blanket before laying it down on the ground.

"You made it just in time," Bella said as she pointing behind them. Evie and Paul turned to see Jacob pushing Billy in his wheelchair and Charlie right behind them with Sue by his side.

"Charlie doesn't look happy," Evie pointed out. An older man was walking behind Sue.

"Neither does Old Quil," Emily said. "This is going to be an interesting bonfire."

Charlie walked straight towards Evie and Paul. He didn't like the way Paul had his arms around his niece. "I go fishing for one afternoon and come back to find you two are joined at the hip," he said frustrated.

"Dad," Bella couldn't keep the anger out of her voice.

"Charlie, leave them be," Billy said with a laugh. "Grab us a beer Chief, while our offspring make us a plate." He winked at Bella as Jacob rolled his eyes at his dad.

Evie turned around to face Charlie. Paul kept his arms around her. She didn't miss the look Charlie gave Paul. "Uncle Charlie, were the fish biting today?" she gave him a big smile.

"Something was biting," Jared mumbled.

Evie could see him out of the corner of her eye. He pointed to his neck. She moved the hood of the sweatshirt over to hide the mark.

"Not really," Charlie answered. He took the beer Sue handed him and gave her a smile.

"The food smells great girls," Sue patted Charlie's arm. "Let's seat down before these kids take the good seats." She pushed Billy's wheelchair towards a log that was carved into a bench.

"Jacob, Bella and Seth," Charlie called out. "We'll wait for our plates over there." He pointed to Sue and Billy. He walked to Paul and Evie. "Paul, you and I are going to have a talk after I'm done eating." He patted Evie on the cheek and walked away.

"Great," Paul muttered. Jared, Sam and Jacob started to laugh. "It's not funny." He glared at his pack brothers before giving them the finger.

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><p><strong>Once again thank you for the reviews, following the story and making it one of your favorites. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.<strong>

**Thanks,**

**india8**


	7. Chapter 7

***I don't own any of the characters from Twilight. They belong to Stephenie Meyer. I only own the original characters in this story.**

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><p>Chapter 7<p>

"Are you warm enough?" Paul asked Evie. She was finishing her food as she leaned against him. The slight wind that had kicked up earlier left it cold on the bluffs.

"Yeah, I'm good," she replied. "What about you?" She looked to see him roll his eyes. "I forgot, you're always warm," she said with a shake of her head.

"Hey, what's going on? You look a little worried," he moved so he could look at her better.

"I'm a little worried about you to meet my dad," she responded.

"Worried he won't approve?" he smirked as he wiggled his eyebrows.

"No, nothing like that," she quickly replied. "Just worried he's going to act over fatherly." She shrugged. "Sorry I know it doesn't make sense." She let a frustrated breath.

"Yeah, I'm confused," he said scratching his head.

"Okay let me try to explain," she scooted away and turned to face him. "I love my dad but he really hasn't been around for the last ten years. He's always working and when he does take an interest in what's going on in my life, he acts like he knows me. It's really frustrating." She moved her hair away from her face. "When it comes to approval, I lean towards my mom and Derek. They are the ones who have been with me every day. Does it make sense now?" She was biting her bottom lip.

"You want your dad's approval but your mom and Derek's are the ones that really matter," he answered moving his thumb over her lips. "Don't worry, I get it." He leaned over and kissed her. He ignored the whispers from his brothers.

"Thank you," she said smiling. He popped her half eaten hot dog in his mouth. She grabbed Paul's empty plate. "Do you want more food?" She laughed as his face lite up at the mention of food.

"Of course he's hunger," Quil laughed. "He worked up an appetite after all the fun he had this afternoon." Jacob reached over and hit Quil, knocking him over the bench.

"Thanks man," Paul bumped fists with Jacob. He wanted to hit Quil for embarrassing Evie. Her cheeks were red as she looked away.

Bella rubbed Jacob's arm, earning her a big grin. "I'll go with you Evie," she said standing up.

Embry smacked Quil on the head when he got up. Everyone laughed when Quil looked up and had ketchup smeared all over his face.

"I like hearing you laugh. You should do it more often instead of getting mad," Evie whispered. She kissed Paul on the cheek and stood up. "Sure, let's go B," Evie smiled as they walked away. Paul gave Quil a dirty look.

Charlie watched the girls leave and stood up. Now was the perfect opportunity to talk to Paul. The kid wasn't bad. After the upbringing the kid had, he was surprised he didn't end up in jail. But after all the stories he heard of Paul's one night stands, he wasn't about to let his niece become a notch on Paul's bedpost.

"Don't judge him too hard Chief," Billy said as he looked at his friend. "He may be a little more seasoned than most but he's a good kid. After the hard life he was dealt, he looks like a saint compared to most." Charlie nodded before walking away.

"Crap," Evie muttered under her breath. Bella looked up from the plate she was making for Jacob. Evie nodded towards the guys.

"His timing sucks," Bella said shaking her head.

Paul was laughing at something Seth was saying when Charlie walked up to their group. The look on his face told him it would be a serious talk. "Hey Chief Swan," he stood up hoping Charlie would take it as an act of respect. Normally he could care less what anyone thought of him but this was Evie's Uncle.

"Seems like you boys are having a good time," Charlie said with a pat on Jacob's back. "I see the girls are getting you boys more food." He didn't know how he felt about Bella and Evie waiting on these boys hand and foot.

"Uncle Charlie, are you being nice?" Evie asked handing Paul his plate.

"I doubt it," Bella mumbled. She handed Jacob a plate full of food. "Dad," she said.

"I'm always nice," he scoffed looking at Bella. "I'm just wondering why these boys didn't get their own plates. It's not that far of a walk." His arms were crossed over his chest.

"Probably the same reason Sue got you a plate," Billy yelled chuckling. Sue began to blush while Charlie turned red. He glared at Billy.

Embry took a seat next to Leah. Man, she was beautiful. He understood Sam didn't have a choice but how could you not fight for her. He sneaked a quick peak at Leah and quickly looked away when he met her gorgeous dark chocolate eyes. His heart felt like it wanted to jump out of his chest.

Leah smirked at Embry's reaction to getting caught looking at her. "Didn't my mom get you a beer as well?" she asked innocently. Evie smiled at Leah and Bella tried not to laugh.

"We are talking about Bella and Evie, not me," Charlie said with no conviction.

Paul decided to take pity on Charlie, not to mention score some points in his favor. "Maybe now is a good time for that talk sir," he said putting his plate down on the log they were using as a back rest.

Charlie cleared his throat. "Yeah, that's a great idea. Let's have that talk," he looked at Evie. "Alone." He walked away and rolled his shoulders. Evie rolled her eyes.

Paul leaned down and gave Evie a quick kiss. He followed Charlie until they were a few feet away from everyone. But it didn't matter he knew his brothers and sister would hear every word. He shot Quil a look. The kid better keep his mouth shut around Evie. The little remarks he was making were working his last nerve.

"Leah," Evie took a seat next to her. "I just wanted to thank you for earlier." She pointed at her clothes. "By the remarks from Quil, I assume everyone knows about…you know." She could feel her cheeks turning red.

"You're welcome," Leah said. She wasn't sure if she liked Evie yet. She had more of a backbone than her cousin Bella. She looked at Bella and Jacob. They were laughing and sitting close to one another. Maybe Swan was finally willing to admit her feelings for Jacob. "How's your mom?" she asked trying not to listen to the conversation between Paul and Charlie. Out of the corner of her eye she could see her mom watching Charlie.

"She's putting up a brave front," Evie replied. She was looking at Paul. She couldn't stop the smile that appeared on her face. "It's kind of funny how Uncle Charlie has to look up to talk to Paul." Leah looked over to them and laughed.

"What's so funny?" Embry asked. Leah nodded towards Charlie and Paul. "He towers over Chief Swan." He laughed.

Evie turned towards Leah. "I have a favor to ask. You can say no, but I really need your help," she whispered.

"I get the feeling I might regret it but sure, ask away," Leah said with a smirk.

"Now I know you like my niece, it was clear the first time you two met," Charlie said in his professional voice. He felt at a slight disadvantage standing next to Paul. His height overshadowed Charlie's authority persona. "Evie is young with a lot on her plate. Her mother doesn't have long to live." He stopped talking for a moment and cleared his throat. "Her father and I have talked and when the time comes, Evie will be staying with me."

Paul already knew this information from Jacob and Bella. "Sir I can only imagine what Evie is going through. She briefly told me about her mom and dad. It's not my intent to add to her plate. I know you don't believe me but I really care about Evie. I've never felt this way about anyone before." He knew Evie was watching them.

Charlie just stared at Paul. He could hear some truth in what he was saying but he had a feeling there was something he was keeping from him. Actually he had a very strong feeling that they were all keeping something from him including Bella. "If you really care about my niece," he said in a fatherly tone. "Don't hurt her and definitely don't treat her like the other girls you've been with." He could see the shocked look in Paul's face. He held up a hand when Paul opened his mouth. "I've heard all the stories and I will not allow Evie to become one." The tension between them was rising until Paul looked at his feet.

Paul kept his eyes down until the anger inside and his wolf calmed down. He took a steady breath before looking at Charlie. "My past doesn't dictate my future," he finally said. "I don't expect you to believe me but it's the truth." He meant what he said to Charlie. He would never treat Evie like a one night stand. He may have slept around but he made sure they knew it was just for the night. But he knew the only way Charlie would ever believe him was to show him.

Charlie put a hand on Paul's shoulder. "Please don't ever think I place you in the same category as your father," he sighed deeply. After years of neglect and abuse at the hands of his father, this poor kid finally caught a break when his father up and left a few months ago. "You're a good kid. Just be careful with my niece." He shook Paul's hand before walking away.

Evie watched as Charlie walked away. Paul was looking out towards the ocean. His whole demeanor was stiff and tense. "I'll be right back," she said standing up. Leah grabbed her hand before she walked away.

"He may act tough and try to push you away," Leah whispered. She knew most of the pack could hear them but she was hoping Paul was too distracted to hear. "But don't let him. He needs you more than he thinks." Evie looked at Leah for a moment before nodding.

Paul sensed her before he caught her scent. He heard the hesitation in her steps. The simple touch of her hand on his arm began to calm him. He kissed the palm of her hand. "Don't worry, your Uncle was good. He left me standing," he chuckled.

"Good," she replied. "I would hate to hurt the old guy." She wrapped her arms around his waist as he pulled her close. They looked out towards the ocean without saying another word.

* * *

><p>Billy looked out at all the young ones sitting around the bonfire. Pride washed over him at how far this young pack had come. They are the largest pack known to date. With the threat of rouge cold ones passing through their lands and the Cullen's still in the area, he knew this pack would not fail to protect the tribe. He smiled as he watched his son and Bella. Their time was close. He knew she was ready to accept her place in his life. She was finally breaking free from the cold one's hold over her.<p>

"You did fine with Paul," Sue whispered to Charlie. She was watching her daughter and Embry. She sighed softly. If only her daughter would open her heart to someone other than Sam. She glanced at Sam and Emily. Anyone could see they gravitated towards each other. They really do belong together. She smiled when Emily pointed her camera in their direction.

"I hope so," Charlie whispered back. "Only time will tell." He took a quick glance at Paul and Evie. They were talking and laughing. Jacob and Bella were next to them laughing along with them. "Now if my daughter would only make the right decision." He took a drink of his beer.

"I know the feeling," Sue sighed. Leah scowled towards Sam and Emily's way before getting up and walking towards the ice chest.

Bella began to shiver. Jacob opened his jacket and closed it around her. "Is that better?" Jacob asked looking into her eyes. There was something different about Bella. He couldn't put his finger on it, but it was there and it gave him hope at the possibility for them to have a chance.

Bella smiled and nodded yes. Whatever preconception she had of not being with Jake seemed to disappear. Maybe he was right and imprinting would never happen to him. They could have this life together. It seemed her head was clearing and all her fears were fading away.

"If you keep eating, I'm going to roll you home," Evie laughed as Paul ate another hot dog. She wiped his mouth.

"I'm storing up energy," Paul muttered with a full mouth. He winked and rubbed her cheek when she blushed. He quickly swallowed his food. "My metabolism is high. I promise you won't have to roll me anywhere," he said smiling.

Collin and Brady dropped down next to Seth and Quil. Their plates were full and they looked tired. They waved hello before digging in. Quil leaned over as whispered to them before turning and talking to Seth.

"Where have you two been?" Evie asked. She realized they weren't around when she and Paul arrived.

"Patrolling," Collin mumbled between bites. Brady hit him as he realized what he said. He heard Sam curse at him for making a major mistake.

Evie looked around when everyone got real quiet. Paul was holding her tightly against him. She looked at Bella who was biting her bottom lip. The air around them seemed to stop and the only sound was the waves crashing below them. She looked at Jared who was looking at Sam.

"Isn't that what you and Paul were doing the first time I meet you guys?" Evie asked Jared. He looked confused. "That was the reason Paul was acting weird. You teased him about some girl who was out of his league." Paul's hold on her was cutting off her circulation. She tapped his hands a few times before he loosened his hold on her. Paul kissed her forehead and rubbed her sides.

Jared laughed nervously. "Oh yeah at Sam and Emily's," he said looking at Kim. "I remember that now." He shrugged it off and popped the rest of his hamburger in his mouth.

"Who was the girl?" Evie asked looking at Paul. She was smiling as he squirmed.

"What time is your dad coming tomorrow Evie?" Emily asked changing the subject.

"He texted me earlier, he is in Seattle taking care of some last minute work. He's driving here tomorrow afternoon," Evie answered. She turned to face Emily and rested her head on Paul's chest. She tried not to let it show, but she was disappointed in her dad. He would rather work than spend time with her, their family and her friends.

"When do you leave?" Embry asked sitting down by Brady. The pack was worried about Paul. They didn't know how he would take being away from Evie for an unknown amount of time.

"Tomorrow night," Paul answered. He didn't want her to go but he knew she had to.

Bella held on to Jacob. She didn't want Evie to leave but wishing for her to come back soon felt wrong. It would mean Aunt Kathy was gone and she wasn't ready to deal with losing her Aunt.

"I know you want Evie to come back soon," Jacob whispered. He felt Bella nod her head. "You're not wrong Bells; your Aunt would want the same thing for Evie too." He rubbed her back trying his hardest to comfort her as much as he could.

Paul felt Evie's body slightly shake. He knew she was crying before he heard her sniffle. "Please don't cry," he whispered. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. He wiped the tears away. "Let's take a walk." She nodded as he got up and pulled her up as well.

"Take your time," Jacob said when Paul looked over his way.

"Thanks," he answered. He took Evie's hand and led her towards the cars where they could have some privacy.

"Sorry for crying back there," Evie whispered. "It feels like time is moving a bit faster than I want." She wrapped her other hand around his.

"You never have to apologize to me," he said giving her hand a squeeze.

It was dark by the cars since they were closer to the trees and forest. He sensed when she tensed up as they walked a bit further into the darkness. The moon gave off some light not that he needed it. His eye sight was perfect, even in the dark. There was a tree that split in two. Half the tree was still standing while the other half grew sideways, making a perfect place to sit.

"Evie," he pulled her down on his lap and wrapped his arms around her. "I don't even know where to start." He could see the tears in her eyes.

"When I leave tomorrow," she whispered trying not to cry. "I'm not sure when I'll come back. My mom…she only has…Paul," she leaned her head against his chest and cried. This was harder than she thought.

"I know being with your mom is your first priority. I would never try to come between you two," he said caressing her cheek. She took a deep breath to calm down. "When you do come back, I'll be here. I'm not going anywhere." He lifted her chin to look into her eyes. "What's going on in that mind of yours?" He was worried as he waited for her to say something.

Evie stood up and took a couple of steps away from him. "It's not fair for me to ask you to wait," she said looking at him. The moonlight didn't hide his handsome features. It also didn't hide the anger in his eyes.

"Is this about that asshole you were seeing back home?" Paul asked angrily. His hands were shaking at the thought of that son of a bitch touching what was his, what was theirs.

"No," she replied just as angrily. "I told you it was over with him the moment he cheated on me." She took a step towards him just as he took a step towards her. "There's something going on between us that I can't explain. I don't want to leave you but I also don't think it's fair for me to ask you to wait for me either." Her hands were on her hips.

"I don't want you to go either and I don't want you with anyone but me," he yelled as he looked down at her. "As for me being with anyone while you're gone, there is no one and I mean no one I want but you. That should be a given after this afternoon." He glared at her with a look that would have most of his pack brothers backing away from him but not Evie.

"Don't give me that look," she scoffed. The look in his eyes was scary but she knew he would never hurt her. How she knew that she couldn't explain. "It may intimidate other people but no me." She glared back at him.

Paul pulled her towards him. She tried to pull away from him but eventually gave up. There was no way he was letting her go. "Your right, there is something going on with us. I can't explain it right now but I promise when you get back, I will tell you everything," he said in a rushed voice. She tried to pull away again but once again gave up.

"Damn it Paul," she snapped. "That's not fair." She wrapped her arms around him. "Fine but the moment I get back," she said in a frustrated breath. "I want to know the truth. There is something going on and I don't like being the only one in the dark." He finally let her pull away but only a bit.

"I promise," he said before kissing her. He tried to hold back but he couldn't.

Paul dominated the kiss as he explored every inch of Evie's mouth. His hands were in her hair holding her in place but it wasn't enough. He reached down cupping her ass and lifted her up. She immediately wrapped her legs around his waist. Her hands were in his hair pulling him impossibly closer to her.

Evie moaned when her back hit the tree. Paul was grinding his hips into her as he slowly moved his hands under her shirt. His hands felt incredible against her skin. She kissed along his jaw line and moved to his neck. The taste of him was mouthwatering. Her head fell back when his thumbs moved over her nipples. She bit her lip to keep from moaning any louder.

Paul moved his hand down her flat stomach to the waist of her jeans. He could smell how turned on she was for him. Her scent mixed with her arousal had him ready for her. He needed a taste of her. The smell of the forest around them had his wolf on edge. The thought of taking her on the forest ground had him throbbing and aching to be inside her. Having her on all fours as he pounded into her from behind as he slapped her plump ass had him ready to explode. He growled when he heard the sound of footsteps. Fucking Jared!

He slowly pulled away from Evie and lowered her to the ground. He leaned down until his forehead was touching hers. "We're not alone," he whispered trying to catch his breath.

"Oh," she groaned. "This sucks." She took a deep breath but it didn't help. Being this close to him and not being able to finish what they started was beyond frustrating.

"I need to you tonight," Paul whispered. He could hear Jared and Kim making out.

"I need you too," Evie whispered. "But there is no way Uncle Charlie will let me stay out all night." She moved her hands over his chest. His muscles felt so good.

"Let me worry about it baby," he said as a plan formed in his head. "I plan on worshipping your gorgeous body all night." He kissed her slowly but pulled away before it got too heated.

"Let's go before Uncle Charlie sends out a search party," she took his hand as they walked back.

* * *

><p>Paul sucked gently on her clit as he pumped two fingers in and out of her hot wet core. Her head was thrown back as she arched off the bed pulling on the sheet. She looked beautiful as she came undone. Her moans filled the air as her juices covered his fingers. She was panting, trying to catch her breath but he knew she could come again for him. He waited until she was half way down from her high when he sucked hard on her clit and gently bit it. He smiled when she sat up with her mouth open but nothing came out. He knew he took her to a place that was pure pleasure. She fell back and her body wet limp on the bed and her breathing became shallow.<p>

Shit, she passed out again. This was the second time. The first time scared him but he knew it was from the continuous sensation of her body coming for over an hour. It wasn't the first time this happen to him. But he didn't want to think about those other girls. He wasn't going to lie, it did build up his ego but now he only wanted Evie. She was going to kill him for doing this again. It wasn't his fault being a wolf meant his stamina lasted longer than a normal person. He covered her up with the sheet and kissed her cheek. He ran downstairs to get her something to eat and drink.

He picked up her clothes before heading upstairs. He smiled thinking to how their night started out. Bella and Jacob really came through for them. It also helped that Charlie drank too much. He passed out as soon as his head hit the pillow. Evie grabbed some clothes and they quickly drove back to his place. He also stopped and bought two boxes of condoms. No way was he running out tonight. As soon as they walked in the door clothes were flying off their bodies.

When they got up stairs, he barely had time to put a condom on. He loved how her body opened just for him. Her tiny frame was able to accommodate his huge size. After the first round he set up camp between those gorgeous thighs and tasted ecstasy. He couldn't get enough of her sweet flavor. All he wanted was to be buried deep inside her.

The clock on the nightstand showed two in the morning. Damn they've been going at since ten and neither one of them showed any sign of slowing down. Unless you count Evie passing out twice, he laughed. He couldn't get enough of her. She tasted better each time and the sex was mind blowing. He normally never went back for seconds but with Evie he always wanted more. She looked so peaceful with her hair fanned around her. He licked his lips as her scent grew stronger around him.

He placed the food and water on the nightstand and debated his next move. Her breathing was back to normal which meant she would wake up in a few minutes. Fuck, he needed to taste her. He crawled under the sheet and moved up between her lovely legs. He threw them over his shoulder and began to lick her up. Her sweet juices coated his tongue. Her hand was in his hair as he heard her moan. The wolf wouldn't let him move as he continued to lick and suck on her clit. When her breathing hitched, he moved up her stomach and kissed and licked his way up her body. Her nipples were begging for attention but he was caught off guard when she flipped them over and straddled him.

"Again," she said breathlessly.

"What?" he asked moving her hair away from her face. He could see the seductive look in her eyes. It made him hard for her.

"You know what," she said before kissing him. She pulled away and caressed his cheek.

He grinned. "It's your fault," he laughed. "If you didn't taste so good not to mention hearing your moans especially when you scream my name, it was a fucking turn on." He sat up and kissed her.

"Is it normal to pass out when you orgasm?" she asked kissing his neck.

"Umm… damn that feels good," he ran his hands up her back. "It's been known to happen." He reached over and grabbed a condom.

Evie pulled away to look at him. "How many times has it happen?" When she saw the look in his eyes, she immediately regretted it. "Oh, I see." She wrapped the sheet around herself as she moved off him. She sat at the edge of the bed. "Maybe we should have the talk now since we clearly didn't have it before." She looked over her shoulder to see him look up and close his eyes. "Is it that bad?" she asked biting her lip.

"It depends," he answered still looking up.

"On what?" she asked. Her heartbeat kicked up a notch.

"Do you need the exact number?" he lowered his head and locked eyes with her.

Evie didn't look away. Did the number matter or was she wondering what number she was? It wouldn't change how she feels about him. She loves him. Oh God, how was that possible? She cared about him but was it love or lust. "Give me a moment," she answered picking up an apple and bottle of water. She walked out of the room and went downstairs. She took a bite of the apple and a drink of water.

The living room was cold but at the moment she didn't care. This was all too real and now she needed to think. She sat on the couch and pulled the sheet closer to herself. He cared for her that much was true. Did he love her? Was it possible to love someone in a short amount of time? But that wasn't the question he asked her. Did the number matter? She knew that she was far from being his first sexual experience but something told her, she was definitely his last. She jumped when something warm touched her cold skin.

"Hey, you've been down here for over an hour. I didn't know what to think when you didn't come back upstairs," he said kneeling in front of her. "Talk to me." He held her face in his hands. "Did the thought of knowing scare you off?" He moved his thumbs over her cheeks.

She grabbed his hands and moved them to her lap. "No, it didn't scare me off," she finally answered. "I don't think I want to know. I'm not sure I want to have this conversation just yet." She moved closer to him and moved his hands around her. She kissed him and threw her arms around his neck.

"Okay," he said a bit worried.

Evie could see he didn't know what to think. "Remember you said you would explain some things to me when I came back," she whispered as she played with his hair.

"Yeah," he mumbled. She ran her nails through his hair and it felt so good.

"I have something to explain to you when I get back," she whispered in his ear. "But for right now, I need you to take me upstairs." He moved back to look at her. "Let's finish what we started." She kissed him slowly as she let these new feelings for him wash over her.

Paul moved the sheet away from her. "Baby, we won't make upstairs," he reached into the waistband of his boxer briefs and pulled out a condom.

He didn't waste time as he quickly rolled on the condom and picked her up. He sat on the couch and slowly lowered her onto him. She moaned in pleasure as he buried himself deep inside her. Oh God he loved her. He stopped and looked at her. Wait, what? She caressed his cheek and he knew it was true. He loved her and by the look in her eyes, she loved him.

"Paul," she said in a breathless tone.

He kissed her and wrapped the sheet around her. This wasn't sex, it was more. He picked her up and carried her upstairs making sure he stayed inside her. He kissed her neck and jaw. When he entered the room, he knew this was now their room. He gently placed her on the bed as he moved the pillows towards the headboard. She pulled him back to her and kissed him but it wasn't urgent it was slow and sensual. He lifted her up until she was on the pillows.

"Evie," he cried out as he slowly moved in and out of her.

Evie ran her nails slowly down his back as he kissed her. This was more intense than any of the other times. With each movement her heart filled with love for him, her Paul. It was like he left his mark of love for her all over her body. She was his and he was hers. When he kissed her it was with passion not just hunger or desire. His name floated over her lips in a delicious way.

Paul moved his hips in a slow penetrating way. She brought out a side of him that he never knew existed. He kissed her neck down to her breast, taking a hard nipple into his greedy mouth. He slowly feasted on her nipple before moving to her other one. Her little cries of pleasure and soft whisper of his name filled his heart with love for her, his Evie. It wasn't the imprint that had him loving her, it was her. Everything about her was his to love.

When Evie came, it was slow and her body was floating. The usual hard and fast was nothing compared to this feeling. Her moan was breathless as her inner walls tighten around him. She kissed his neck as her orgasm climbed. She whispered his name before she kissed his luscious lips. Her hand moved over his back letting her nails gently scratch him until she reached the small of his back. Her hand progressed to the curve of his ass.

His movements were unhurried as he enjoyed the feel of her wrapped around him. He smirked when she squeezed his ass. He kissed her neck letting her moan and pant as her orgasm hit its peak. He pulled all the way of out her before gradually moved back inside her. The quiver of her walls pulsed around him. She was tight with each amazing push. He watched her head go back as low deep moan passed her lips.

The deep growl that rumbled in his chest moved up his throat and escaped through his clenched teeth. He felt her body shutter before she gasped as another orgasm captured her body. No sound escaped as a tiny tear ran down her cheek. He wiped the tear away as he looked into her eyes. He knew what emotion was coursing through her. It was the same for him but they both knew saying it at this moment wouldn't carry the true meaning of those three little words. He kissed her as he continued to leisurely make love to her.

Evie kissed him as she burned each touch and feeling she had for the gorgeous man into her memory. She didn't want to forget a single moment of their time together. Every word they said to one another needed to stay fresh in her mind. He was thrusting in her with a bit more hurried stroke. She moaned his name when he circled his hips, moving deeper inside her.

Paul was close to exploding. Her walls were throbbing around him. He moaned her name like a prayer. Her body was made for him as she opened up wider to take him in deeper. He pulled her legs over his arms as he deepened each thrust into her hot center. He sucked on her bottom lip before scraping his teeth over her lip.

"My pussy," he whispered as his hot breath brushed over her ear. Her gasp had the wolf inside howling to claim her. He slowly circled his hips before going back in her as deep as she could take him. "You're ours Evie." He pulled out leaving only the tip in. "This pussy," he groaned as he thrust inside her. She moaned. "And this body belongs to us." He moved his body against hers as he bit her neck hard but not enough to break the skin.

"Paul," she cried out in pure ecstasy. The bite was rough and it hurt but it also felt wonderful. It was primal and dominant.

"Say it," he said as his tongue pulled her earlobe in his mouth. He snapped his hips going deep inside her making her gasp and her body shiver with delight.

"Yours," she said in a shaky breath. She was close to coming.

"Our pussy," he said slamming inside her with enough force, she was seeing white dots. "Your body is ours." She cried out and clinched her thighs tightly around him as he snapped his hips and thrust inside her with an urgent pace. "Say it, we need to hear you say it." He kissed her deeply as he held her face still. He pulled away to look in her eyes. "Say it Evie."

She licked her lips and gasped for air. She was close and she knew he was too. "Your pussy," she panted as she tried to hold off her orgasm.

"Say it baby," he panted. Her body trembled as he moved faster inside her.

"My body… Oh God… my body is yours," she cried out as she stared into his eyes. A ring of gold swirled around the dark brown of his eyes. "Paul," she moaned as her walls squeezed him.

"Evie," he moaned as they both released their hold and came together. His body was floating as her walls squeezed him tightly.

The bed shook violently as they lost control but they never broke eye contact. She caressed his cheek as he throbbed deep inside her. His wolf growled as her scent filled his nostrils. He continued to watch as her body gradually came down from her orgasm. She gave him a shy smile which made him grin. The light red tint in her cheeks made his body tingle all over. He gently pulled out of her and disposed of the condom.

Evie cried out from the soreness she felt deep inside her. She was on her side with her hands under her cheek. Her eyes were barely open as she smiled at him. "Your eyes had a gold ring around them," she yawned.

"I must've made you see stars," he said pulling her close to him.

"Must've," she whispered. "Does it always get better?"

"Just with you baby," he kissed her nose. "Get some sleep." He moved her hair back behind her ear. She smiled as her eyes closed and her breathing became shallow.

Paul watched Evie sleep as he placed his arm around her waist. He sighed happily as he thought back to when they came together. He knew at once that the imprint was complete for him. The wolf and he claimed Evie as theirs but it wouldn't be complete until she accepted the imprint. He would wait until she returned. She had enough to deal with and he wouldn't add another complication in the mix.

He moved his hand to her flat stomach. A thought of her one day carrying his pup brought him to a place he never thought could happen for him. He had a future with someone he loved and who more importantly loved him back.

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><p>Charlie watched Paul pace around the living room before glancing towards the stairs and start to pacing again. Billy shook his head at Charlie when he opened his mouth. The kid was wearing a path in the carpet. Charlie looked at Jacob and Edward as they glared at each other. He felt like knocking their heads together but he doubted it would do any good.<p>

"I thought Mitchell was due here this morning," Billy said breaking the silence.

"He should be here soon. There was a problem with the rental car," Charlie replied. He crossed his arms over his chest. "Paul, sit down. You're giving me a headache." Paul nodded before taking a seat on the recliner.

Paul glanced at the stairs waiting for Evie. He could hear the Doc telling Evie that the hole in her lung was closed. He gave a sigh of relief but he didn't completely relax until Sue confirmed the hole was gone. Charlie was still watching him but he didn't care. The only thing that mattered was Evie.

Carlisle walked down the stairs with Sue. "Thanks for your help," he said with a smile. He knew she would never trust him but none the less he did appreciate her help.

"You're welcome," Sue said. She walked over to Charlie and Paul who were standing up.

"How is she?" Charlie asked as soon as Sue was a few feet away. Billy wheeled himself over to hear what Sue had to say.

"Dr. Cullen and I agree the hole in Evie's lung is completely closed," Sue stated placing a hand on Charlie's arm.

"We both agree Evie will be able to fly out later today with her father," Carlisle added. "Evie shouldn't have any problems with her lungs but I did prescribe her an inhaler. Her asthma is very slight but I don't want to take any chances." He looked at Edward with disappointment. The more he declared war with Jacob the faster Bella pulled away from him.

"Are there any physical restrictions Evie should avoid because of her asthma?" Paul asked.

Charlie glared at Paul while Sue and Billy tried not to laugh. Jacob didn't bother to hide his booming laugh. Paul had the urge to flip Jacob off but Charlie was still glaring at him.

"What physical things are you referring to young man?" Charlie asked harshly. He wanted to hit Billy for laughing.

Paul rolled his eyes at Charlie. "She likes to surf and jog for exercise. I want to know if those activities will affect her asthma," he said looking at Charlie. He could see the older man shift his weight as he face gradually turned red.

"It must've been a good conversation if Uncle Charlie is turning red," Evie commented as she and Bella walked into the room.

Edward immediately stood up and reached for Bella but she side stepped him and walked to Charlie. "Are you okay dad?" she asked looking to Sue and Billy for answers.

Paul wrapped an arm around Evie as the tension in his shoulders began to fade away. He inhaled her scent deeply and almost choked. The sweet sickly scent of Doc Vamp was mixed with Evie's honeysuckle scent. He concentrated on her scent hoping it would overpower the Vamps.

"Evie shouldn't have any trouble with her current activities," Carlisle finally answered. "Her asthma won't restrict her in any way." He tried to avoid eye contact with Charlie who seemed a bit loss for words.

"Great," Evie responded. "I would hate to give up surfing." She smiled at Paul as he smirked at her. "But then again the waves here aren't close to the ones back home. Unless you count when a storm hits."

"Are you crazy? You're not going into the ocean during a storm," Paul shouted.

"Listen here young lady," Charlie yelled. "It's too dangerous to go off into a storm." They were going to have a serious talk about what's allowed as fun and what's definitely out of the question for any member of this family.

"I never said anything about going surfing during a storm," Evie said defensively. She took a step away from Paul and placed her hands on her hips. "If either one of you were actually listening. I said the waves are big during a storm." She looked at Charlie before looking at Paul.

"But you've gone surfing during a storm. Last year in Mexico," Bella stated before slapping her hand over her mouth. Evie shot Bella a dirty look.

"What idiot let you go surfing in a storm?" Paul asked fuming. He was staring down at Evie.

"Me," Mitchell McIntyre answered as he put his bag down. "Who the hell wants to know?" he looked at the tall guy who was standing in front of his daughter. By the angry over protective look, this must be Paul. He looked just like his father.

"Dad," Evie exclaimed with a big smile.

Edward listened to the thoughts of Evie's dad. He had some pretty strong feelings about his daughter dating Paul. He was afraid Paul was just like his dad. Paul Sr. was a womanizer who didn't care for anyone in particular as long as he got what he wanted, except with his wife Kathy. Hmm, that was a weird thought for Mitchell to have.

"By the look on your Uncle's face and not to mention the young fellow in front of you," Mitchell said shaking his head. "My cubby must be causing trouble." He pulled his daughter into a tight hug.

"I never cause trouble," Evie scoffed as she hugged her dad.

"It was my fault Uncle Mitchell," Bella said in a small voice. "I kind of threw Evie under the bus." She moved her hair back. "It was completely unintentional though." She gave Mitchell a hug.

"It's good to see you Bella," Mitchell said pulling away to look at his niece. "You have grown into a beautiful young lady." He turned to Charlie and shook his hand. "Good to see you Charlie." He respected Charlie and knew Evie would be in good hands when the time came.

"Good to see you too Mitch," Charlie smiled. "You remember Billy Black and Sue Clearwater." He took a step back.

"Billy," Mitchell said leaning slightly forward. "I was sorry to hear about Sarah. She was an incredible woman." He shook Billy's hand and patted his shoulder.

"Thanks Mitch," Billy whispered. He cleared his throat before speaking again. "I really appreciate the collages you sent us after the funeral. The photos captured Sarah beautifully." He kept the collage in his room. It was the first thing he saw in the morning as well as the last thing he saw before falling asleep.

"It was my pleasure," Mitchell replied. He turned to Sue and gave her a hug. "My condolences Sue, Harry was an amazing man." He pulled away to see her wipe a tear away. "Evie told us." He looked at his daughter. She was standing next to Paul who had his arm around her waist. He didn't know how he felt about Evie and Paul.

"Thank you Mitchell," Sue said. She leaned against Charlie for support.

Mitchell turned around and immediately recognized Jacob. He was a few inches taller than Paul. "Jacob, you sure as hell don't look like the skinny little kid that use to chase the girls around with mud in your hands. How are you?" Mitchell shook his hand.

"I'm good sir," Jacob said. "Thanks again for the collages you sent us. I know my sisters appreciated them too." He felt when Bella moved close to him. She placed her hand on his back.

"It was my pleasure," Mitchell said with a smile. He always thought Bella and Jacob would end up together. He turned to Evie and Paul.

"Dad, this is Dr. Carlisle Cullen," Evie gestured to her right. Mitchell nodded with a smile. She was avoiding introducing Paul, smart girl.

"Mr. McIntyre," Carlisle nodded before taking a step back. "As I explained on the phone earlier, the tiny hole in Evie's lung has closed. There should be no problem with her flying."

"Thank you Dr. Cullen," Mitchell said. He got a weird vibe from the doctor but he didn't know what it was. "Her mother wanted me to convey her gratitude for taking care of Evie." He glanced at Evie but she was looking at Bella.

"Uncle Mitchell, I like you to meet my boyfriend Edward Cullen," Bella blushed as she gestured to Edward. "Dr. Cullen is he father." Mitchell looked at the doctor and then at Edward. He noticed the same colored eyes but Dr. Cullen looked too young to have a teenage son.

"It's nice to meet you sir," Edward said. He noticed the curious look on Mitchell's face. "Carlisle is my adopted father." He took Bella's hand into his own. There was something off about this kid. It was the same weird feeling he got with the doctor.

Mitchell smiled but he didn't miss the slight shiver that ran over Bella or the way Jacob's jaw tighten as his hands balled up into fists. He could have sworn Bella and Jacob were together. The way they interacted with one another reminded him of Billy and Sarah. He turned to his daughter with smirk. He didn't like this Edward kid with his niece.

"We have come full circle and I must say, I'm surprised it took this long to answer my original question," he said watching his daughter slightly squirm. "Paul Lahote, I'm Mitchell McIntyre." He stuck out his hand and waited for Paul to shake his hand.

"Nice to meet you sir," Paul took a step forward and shook his hand. "Evie told me a lot about you." He kept his arm firmly around Evie's waist.

"Interesting," Mitchell commented. "Paul let's step outside. We don't have much time before our flight and I think the father and would be boyfriend speech is clearly needed." He let go of Paul's hand and tapped Evie's nose.

"Dad," Evie mumbled. She knew her dad would 'talk' to Paul but not as soon as they met.

"I think that is an excellent idea," Charlie commented as he clapped his hands together.

"It's okay," Paul whispered to Evie. "Better to get it out of the way." He kissed her forehead before following her dad outside.

Paul didn't say a word as they walked down the steps. They walked to the end of the driveway. Mitchell eyed Paul, trying hard not to put him in the same category as his father but he had to admit, it was hard not to.

"Charlie told me he talked to you about Evie," Mitchell began as he leaned against his rental car crossing his arms over his chest. "From what little I saw inside including the conversation my wife and I had with Evie, you care for her." He didn't like his daughter dating.

"She cares for me too sir," Paul replied. "I know you don't know me but I would never hurt Evie." He wanted Mitchell's approval for Evie's sake. It wasn't something he had to worry about before. But for Evie, he was willing to make the effort.

Mitchell sighed heavily. "I know, I can see it her eyes," he ran his hand over his face. "How old are you Paul?" he asked. They sure know to feed these kids in La Push. This kid was over six feet and looked about twenty.

"I'm almost seventeen," Paul answered. He didn't miss the disbelieving look Mr. McIntyre gave him.

"You look a lot older than seventeen," Mitchell scoffed. "You look so much like your father." He saw the surprised look on Paul's face. "I knew him. How's he doing these days?"

"He left a few months ago," Paul replied. "I haven't seen my mom since I was a kid." He tried to keep the bitterness out of his voice.

"Shit," Mitchell muttered. "Sorry to hear. Charlie didn't say anything and I never asked Evie." He looked at Paul through new eyes. "Do you have any other family in the area?" he asked. Knowing Paul Sr. it was probably best he wasn't in the picture.

"No, it's just me," Paul replied. He did his best to keep calm. Sam would kill him if he blew it.

"You live alone?" he asked knowing the answer.

"Yes sir," Paul answered. He knew what Mitchell was thinking.

"I could say I don't want my daughter over at your place alone, but Evie would kill me for not trusting her," he rubbed his chin. "Not to mention it's hard to threaten you when I won't be around." Great, how the hell was he going to keep this kid in line….a slow smile began to cross his lips.

"Chief Swan already warned me," Paul looked over his shoulder when the front door opened.

Edward and Carlisle walked out of the house deep in conversation. Paul only heard bits and pieces but by the worried look on the leech's face, he knew it wasn't good. He needed to get inside to check on Evie before talking to Jacob.

"Good," Mitchell said as he watched Edward and Dr. Cullen get into a black Mercedes. "Look your dad was a bit of a …womanizer. Usually the apple doesn't fall to far from the tree. Since we are on the same page, treat my daughter right." He held out his hand.

Paul shook Mitchell's hand. "I will," he said with a fake smile. He didn't like Mitchell and now he understood what Evie meant about her dad. But he was willing to put up with Mitchell for Evie's sake. He just didn't know for how long.

* * *

><p>Evie held on to Paul and they walked through the airport. "I can't believe my dad knew your dad. That's weird," she said looking up at him.<p>

"Yeah, I don't remember the old man mentioning another with your dad's name. But then again he only talked when he wanted to bitch about something," he responded with a shrug.

Charlie, Bella, Jacob and Mitchell were a few feet in front of them. Paul held her close to his side. A part of him didn't want her to leave his sight after Jacob told him what the fortune telling leech saw. But with Evie far away from here, she would be safe.

They stopped at the ticket booth so Mitchell and Evie to get their tickets. There weren't a lot of people in the airport. They had a few more minutes before they went through security. Charlie and Bella went to one of the coffee shops.

Paul watched Evie hand the lady behind the counter her ID. She moved her hair over her shoulder before turning around to look at him. She smiled and gave him a little wave. He tried to return the smile but he was having a hard time. She turned around when her dad began to talk to her.

"What time is the meeting?" Paul asked trying to distract himself. It wasn't just the wolf having a hard time; he was finding it hard to stay calm and let Evie leave.

"Later tonight," Jacob answered. "The pixie one was trying to get more information. Sam wants everyone to meet at his place before heading out." He kept an eye on Bella. She was insisting on going to the meeting tonight. It was the one time he and the vamp agreed. They didn't want Bella anywhere near this but of course the pixie thought it would be best if Bella attended. He caught the slight shake of Paul's hands. "Stay calm, here comes Evie."

Evie watched as the mask Paul usual wore appeared as he stared straight ahead. She tried not to let it get to her. She pulled out her phone and snapped a picture of him before he noticed. The picture captured his features perfectly. His broad shoulder had her biting her bottom lip as she traced her finger along his strong jaw with his full lips, those dark piercing eyes with his short crop of silky black hair. She looked up to see him watching her with that panty dropping smile on his face. She could feel herself blushing as she looked at her feet.

Paul could smell her arousal and growled when Jacob slightly shifted in her direction. "Ours," he hissed standing up. He walked over to Evie placed his finger under her chin. "Please don't hide your face." She looked up at him biting her lip. God, he needed to taste her one more time before it was too late.

"As long as you don't hide yours from me," she caressed he cheek. He took her hand and kissed her palm.

"I'm done hiding," he replied moving her hair behind her ear. "You're so beautiful." He leaned down and gently kissed her.

"That's us cubby," Mitchell called out to his daughter. "I'll keep you updated on Kathy's condition." Mitchell shook Charlie's hand.

"Thanks Mitch," Charlie said.

"Uncle Mitchell, give Aunt Kathy my love," Bella sniffled. She gave Mitchell a hug.

"I will Bella," he answered. "Jacob, keep an eye on my niece. I really don't care for her boyfriend." He shook Jacob's hand.

"That makes two of us sir," Jacob said with a laugh. Bella rolled her eyes at them.

Evie walked over to Charlie and gave him a hug. "Take care Uncle," Evie whispered. She was finding it difficult to talk.

"You too kiddo," Charlie said before stepping back. He cleared his throat as he looked away.

Bella hugged Evie. Neither one said anything at first. When they finally looked at each other they both began to talk at the same time. They laughed as tears streaked both their faces.

"I'll call you," Evie finally said. Bella nodded.

Jacob ignored the look on Paul's face and pulled Evie into a hug. "Don't let Bella out of your sight. She will need you," Evie whispered. Jacob pulled away with a confused look on his face. "Trust me." Evie patted his cheek before turning to face Paul.

"No tears," Paul whispered as he wiped them away from her cheeks. "We will see each other when its time." Evie nodded not trusting her voice. He held her face between her hands.

Mitchell nodded to Paul as he turned to give them some privacy. Charlie took a few steps away while Jacob held Bella.

Evie took a deep breath. "I'll call you after I see my mom," she said trying to smile.

Paul lean down and gently kissed her. He tried to pack as much passion into this one kiss. He wanted it to last until they saw each other again. The kiss was slow and gently. Everything around them faded away. It was just the two of them.

Evie put everything she felt for Paul into this kiss. She knew that time would pass but her love for him would grow. Her hands slowing left his hair and ran down to his shoulders. She knew they would pull away from each other and she would have to leave.

He slowly pulled away from her. The words were on the tip of his tongue but he couldn't say them. It would be harder to let her go if they said them to one another. He looked into her beautiful eyes and knew she was feeling the same way.

"No words until we see each other," he whispered. She blinked a few times before nodding. He kissed the palm of her hand before she walked away.

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you for the reviews and PM's. I really enjoy the feedback. Thank you to everyone who is following the story and marked it as one of your favorites. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.<strong>

**Thanks,**

**india8**


	8. Chapter 8

***I don't own any of the characters from Twilight. They belong to Stephenie Meyer. I only own the original characters in this story.**

***Sorry for not updating sooner. Enjoy!**

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><p>Chapter 8<p>

Evie watched as her mom fell asleep. Their conversation lasted more than five hours. You would have thought they hadn't seen or spoken to each other in months instead of days. The heart monitor's volume was on low. The IV and morphine machine were next to the bed. She moved the covers over her mom and kissed her cheek.

She looked around the room thinking, how quickly they turned the small sun room in their home to her mom's new bedroom. Her mom always loved this room with its beautiful view of the ocean and Balboa Pier. She left the door halfway open. If her mom woke up, she wanted to hear her. She walked down the hallway to her room.

When they arrived from the airport, she didn't bother unpacking her carry-on. She pulled out Paul's sweatshirt and inhaled his scent. It smelled of ocean and forest. She slipped on the sweatshirt before grabbing her phone. There was a text message from Leah saying everything was taken care of and call her later. She was about to open a text from Paul when her phone rang.

"Hello," she said with a smile on her face.

"Hello to you too," Paul husky voice sent little shivers down her spine. "I hope I didn't interrupt anything. How's your mom doing?" He was lying on his bed holding her shirt. He had time before meeting the pack at Sam's and heading for their meeting with the Cullen's.

"No, you didn't interrupt. My mom is sleeping and I was just checking my phone when you called. How did you like my gift?" she asked sitting on her bed.

"Thank you," he laughed. The picture on his nightstand was his favorite. "I didn't realize Emily was taking pictures of us. I have the one of us from last night on my nightstand. We are looking at each other as we laugh." He put the shirt down and picked up the picture.

"I'm glad you like it. I figured you could use some pictures around the place. Don't get me wrong I love your house but pictures make it feel like a home you live in instead of a place you happen to sleep in," she said leaning back against the headboard. "Does it make sense?" Her house had pictures everywhere.

"It makes perfect sense. Your dad is a photographer," he put the picture back on the night stand. "And the shirt?" he asked. It was the shirt she wore the first time he met her. He remembered how it hugged her curves and showed off her firm full breasts. His mouth watered at the thought of her perky nipples.

"Leah suggested it. I thought it was weird at first but I took your sweatshirt so I would have something that belonged to you," she explained. "Okay that sounded so much better in my head." She could hear him laughing after she finished rambling.

"Baby it's not weird at all," he said still laughing. He would have to thank Leah later. Having Evie's scent close to him, kept the wolf calm as well as him. "Are you surfing tomorrow morning?" he asked. The thought of her surfing by herself worried him.

"No," she replied. "I'm gonna wait a few days. I think Enzo and Beth are still vacationing with their families and Jerry has the early shift at the coffee house. Besides I don't like going alone. You never know what can happen." She stretched and turned before relaxing on the bed.

"Good, I don't like you going alone," he admitted. It bothered him Evie's best friend was a guy. He thought of Jacob and Bella. But Evie just laughed and reassured him Jerry was not interested in her and she wasn't interested in him. He heard Jared and Quil approaching the house. He looked at the time and silently groaned. It was time for him to leave.

Evie yawned as the long day finally caught up with her. She pulled the sweatshirt closer wishing it was Paul's arms holding her. She missed him more than she thought she would.

"You sound really tired," Paul said after hearing her yawn. "Get some rest and I'll call you tomorrow." He heard his front door open.

"Okay," Evie replied softly. "I miss you." She didn't want to end the call but she could feel her eyelids getting heavy.

"Me to babe, me too," Paul wanted nothing more than to hold her while she slept. Jared was standing in the hallway motioning for him to hurry. "Get some sleep baby. Bye." He flipped off Jared and Quil as they made kissing faces at him.

"I will," Evie said. "Bye." She heard the soft click, ending the phone call. She grabbed her pillow and closed her eyes. She smiled thinking of Paul.

"Who's the pussy now?" Jared laughed leaning against the door frame.

"Looks like the great and mighty Paul Lahote is pussy whipped," Quil added laughing.

"I'll give you guys a head start before I start beating the crap out of both of you," Paul said in a scary calm voice. The Pack knew how dangerous his calm voice could be. He stood up placing his phone on the nightstand. He brushed his fingers across the picture of Evie. When he turned to glare at Jared and Quil, they were already outside phasing.

* * *

><p>"<em>Damn my fucking nose burns,"<em> Jared shouted. He stopped running and buried his nose in the dirt and grass. _"Do we have to go tomorrow? Can't just a few of us go?"_ He sneezed a few times trying to get the stench out of his nose before running again.

"_I agree with Jared,"_ Quil said with a shake of his head. _"They showed us the way to fight these newborns."_ The sweet sickly stench covered him completely.

"_We could use the time to practice on each other. It's not like we can practice with them," _Paul wouldn't mind fighting Emmett or whatever his name was. It might be a good match.

"_No one is fighting the Cullen's," _Sam muttered. He was tired and wasn't in the mood to hear their complaints. _"Quil, Brady and Jared run the perimeter, keep close to the shoreline."_

"_What about Forks?" _Jacob asked already knowing the answer. There was no way Eddie Boy would leave Bella's side now.

"_The Cullen's have it covered for now but we are redrawing the boundaries tomorrow," _Sam stated. _"Paul and Jacob have next shift for patrol. Leah and Embry will take over after them. Collin, Seth and I will take the next one. I want a report after each patrol." _Sam didn't wait for any of them to respond. He headed home to get some sleep.

No one said anything as they headed home. They were all thinking of the future battle that would leave them fighting alongside their natural enemy. It would definitely be a first for both sides.

Quil waited until Sam phased before saying anything. _"I'll take a quick look at Bella's place,"_ he stated. He knew Sam would probably get mad but if Jacob went it would be worse.

"_Thanks man, I appreciate it,"_ Jacob relaxed knowing his Pack Brother had his back when it came to Bella.

Paul phased as he neared Jacob's house. He pulled his cutoff shorts free from the tie on his leg. He thought about what the blond one Jasper said, they need to stay focused. That means no distractions, especially from the imprints.

All this fucking imprinting stuff kept running around in his head. After everything he went through trying to fight the imprint for Evie, it he gave him some insight to the pull each one of them has for their imprint. They all have one thing in common when it came to their imprints, the need to keep the imprint safe without regard to their own safety. He didn't want anyone hearing his thoughts, if he was wrong, than only Jacob would know. He rolled his eyes when he realized Jacob hadn't phased yet. It began to rain and he didn't feel like waiting in the rain.

Paul looked around for somewhere to go and headed to the garage. He pushed open the door not caring that it screeched in protest. The switch for the light was dangling in the middle of the room. It didn't take long to turn the light on and survey the garage. The rabbit was parked next to a black motorcycle. He noticed an oil leak coming from the bike.

He searched around for some tools and a rag. It didn't take him long to find what he needed. The bike was in great condition. He couldn't help but admire the work that went into putting it together. The leak wasn't bad, it was a quick fix. He was just cleaning his hands when Jacob walked in.

"What are you doing in here?" Jacob asked cautiously. Paul never came over to talk or hang out and definitely didn't take an interest in anything he was doing.

"I wanted to talk to you," he finished cleaning his hands and put the tools back. "Your bike had a leak and I fixed it." He felt out of his element.

"Thanks," Jacob said running his hand through his hair. Water flew everywhere.

"This is harder than I thought," Paul muttered as he rubbed his neck.

Jacob leaned against the rabbit waiting for Paul to say something. This was a different side to the usual hot head. He crossed his arms over his chest as Paul began to pace.

"I never got the chance to thank you for coming over that day," he finally said as he continued to pace. "You and Sam were right about the imprint." He ran his hand through his hair.

"Oh," Jacob didn't know what to say.

"The more I tried to fight it, the difficult it became to stay away," Paul said as he continued to pace. "I went to see Old Quil to try to understand why Evie hasn't felt the imprint." He stopped pacing thinking of Evie.

"Wow," Jacob replied. He tried not to laugh but this wasn't the Paul he constantly argued with. "The imprint changed you into less of an asshole." He laughed.

"Shut up Black," Paul snapped as he glared at Jacob.

"There's the jackass I know," Jacob laughed. He moved to the side when Paul took a swing. "Hey if you want to fight, let's take it outside." He headed for the garage door. The anger building up towards the leech and Bella's refusal to open her eyes to the right path was overflowing.

Paul followed him but stopped. "Look as much as I would love to wipe that fucking smirk off your face, there's a reason I wanted to talk to you," he scoffed leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed over his chest.

"What do you have to say?" Jacob asked frustrated.

"Old Quil mentioned something about imprints being rare but with our pack there would be many more to follow. It seems the spirits told him something in one of his quests," Paul explained. He knew telling the next part would change things for Jacob.

"We all know about this, it's nothing new," Jacob shrugged. He didn't feel like talking about imprinting. He already knew more of the Pack would imprint.

"What do you mean you know?" Paul asked looking at Jacob. "Did you know the Alpha won't imprint?" He didn't take his eyes off Jacob, there was something going on, he could sense it.

"Sam already imprinted," Jacob pointed out. The rain picked up. There was thunder roaring in the distance.

"He's not the true Alpha. We all know that," Paul answered. He saw a look cross Jacob's face. "Son of a bitch, you fucking know don't you?" he stood in front of Jacob.

"Old Quil told me after you went to see him. He realized he said too much," Jacob walked away not knowing if he should continue or stay quiet.

"Why haven't you told Bella you picked her?" Paul couldn't believe they were all kept in the dark about the impact imprinting would have on their tribe, Alpha and future Chief.

"I want her to pick me because she wants me," Jacob shouted. "I'm tired of being second best." He ran his hand through his hair.

"But if you told her, how does that make you second best?" he asked confused. "That day you both showed up at my house, I could see how much you both love each other." This conversation wasn't what he had in mind.

"When Bella left to save the leech, she risked everything for him," Jacob said in a frustrated tone. "If I tell her I will never imprint and I choose her, I will never know if she was willing to risk everything for me, for us," he yelled with his arms spread out by his side. "It's not just me it affects, it's the entire tribe." He walked out into the rain not knowing what more he could say.

* * *

><p>"Have you said anything to him?" Evie asked. She was cleaning up the living room while her dad sat with her mom.<p>

"Umm…I haven't had a chance," Bella confessed. She couldn't tell Evie a vampire created an army of newborn vampires to kill her. Not to mention, her vampire boyfriend and his vampire family along with her werewolf best friend and his wolf pack were planning on fighting the newborns in less than two days.

"Bella," Evie sighed. "Edward's there isn't he?" she asked.

"Yes," Bella said. She moved slightly away from Edward as he continued to play with her hair. She knew he could hear everything Evie was saying.

"You're second guessing yourself," Evie said in frustration. "I love you Bella, but you need to do what's right for you and no one else." She sat down on the couch to calm down.

"How's Aunt Kathy?" Bella asked trying desperately to change the subject.

Edward tried to give Bella her privacy but he didn't appreciate the blatant way Evie made her feelings known. It was upsetting Bella the way she questioned her about his presence. Of course he's here; being Bella's boyfriend meant he would be in her home. He wondered if the dog put her up to questioning Bella.

"She's sleeping right now," Evie replied. "Her latest test results were okay. But it really doesn't give any of us hope." She wiped away the tears before they fell.

"I'm so sorry Evie," Bella whispered. Her tears had her choked up.

"I know," Evie replied trying not to cry. She took a deep breath to clear her head. "What time do you leave for your shopping trip with Alice?" She knew Bella hated to shop.

"I'm spending the night at her house before we go shopping tomorrow," Bella responded. "It's not funny." She still couldn't believe Alice talked her dad into letting her spend the night.

"I still can't believe she talked you into going shopping," Evie softly laughed. "You hate shopping. I remember Uncle Charlie had to send my mom to buy you a new bathing suit because you refused to pick one out." She laughed when she heard Bella's angry groan.

"It's not funny Evie," Bella scoffed but she was happy to distract Evie for a few moments. Edward sighed as if he was bored.

"Fine," Evie replied still laughing. "Call me later. Bye."

"I will," Bella said smiling. "Bye."

Evie laughed as she put her phone in her back pocket. There were photos on the coffee table in front of her. She kneeled down to get a better look at them. She picked up one looking closely at the photo of four guys.

They all had short hair, jeans and white t-shirts. Three of them were Indian and the fourth one was white. They looked around twenty-one or so. They were smiling as they sat around a wooden table. If she didn't know better, she would swear the guy in the middle of the photo was Paul, but she recognized the guy leaning back in a chair to the right with his arms over his chest as her dad.

It was weird her dad knew Paul's dad. She thought back to conversations they had about La Push and the Quileute Tribe. She couldn't recall a single moment when he mentioned the name Lahote. She picked up another photo and gasped. It was of her mom and Paul's dad. He had his arm around her waist but her mom was holding her dad's hand.

She shuffled through the rest of the photos. Charlie, Renee, Billy and Sarah were in some as well. They were at a bonfire on the beach. She looked closer at another photo with the four guys. The stoic face of one of the guys reminded her of Sam Uley. It didn't make sense. She looked at each one trying to figure out who the other guy might be. She stopped on the last photo of a woman who was clearly pregnant walking alone down a dirt road with a basket in her hand. She didn't recognize the woman.

"You know better than to go through my things young lady," Mitchell scolded as he snatched the pictures from Evie's hands. "Your mother was asking for you." He grabbed the manila envelope off the table and placed the photos inside.

"If you didn't want anyone to see them, maybe you shouldn't leave them lying all over the table for anyone to see," Evie snapped getting up. She saw the apologetic look on his face as she walked away.

Evie had no idea what the hell just happen but she needed to push it aside. Her mom needed her to stay calm and relaxed. She walked down the hall looking at the photos on the wall. There were so many of her and her parents. But there were equal amount of pictures of Derek and her from the various dances and amusement parks they went to. There were ones from the beach as they surfed while her mom watched from the shore.

She stopped at a photo of her and her parents in Australia; the deep blue ocean was in the background as they huddled together, with big grins on their faces. They looked completely happy but were they really happy. Two weeks later her parents announced they were getting divorced.

Derek took her out to eat with his parents. Valisa and Marshall bought her a new backpack for school. She complained for two weeks she was too big for cartoon backpacks. They got her a dark green one with a small pocket for her iPod. It also had room for a towel and change of clothes when she went surfing with Derek. He took her home later that night. Now that she thinks about it, she can't remember if it was her mom or dad or both who told her they were getting divorced. That night was a bit of a blur after she got home.

It didn't matter now though. She paused at the door before walking in. She smiled as her mom's soft scent of carnations swirled around the room. Carnations always reminded her of her mom. When she was little, she swore carnations were made of cotton candy.

"Evie," Kathy whispered with a smile on her face. She held her oxygen mask away from her face.

"Mom," Evie returned her smile. "You need to leave the mask on." She gently placed the mask back on her mom's face. "I remember you doing this for me when I had my asthma attack. I was scared the mask would suffocate me. But you promised to stay with me until they removed it." A few tears fell down her cheeks.

"I…remember," Kathy said. She was tired but spending time with her daughter was important. "You were…such a brave…little…girl." She reached up and touched Evie's cheek.

Evie held her mom's hand. Within the last few days her mother's physical appearance had slowly deteriorated. Her usually heart shaped face was thin and her cheek bones were sharply angled making her eyes look bigger than normal. Her thin frame was now skin and bones. Her once luscious long flowing auburn hair was lost a few months ago. There were now black wisps of hair in its place hidden under a scarf.

"It must be hereditary," Evie said moving closer to her mom. She placed her head on the edge of the bed while her mom touched her cheek.

"Tell me…Dylan and Paul," Kathy wanted to hear it again. She was trying to fight the medication to hear everything her daughter was saying. Plus, she wanted to hear she was right, again.

Evie rolled her eyes but her mom tapped her nose. She smiled and took a deep breath. "Okay, you were right about Dylan being a jerk," she said looking at her mom. Kathy gave her a thumbs up. "It's not nice to gloat." She laughed.

"Paul," Kathy said caressing her daughter's cheek. Mitchell wasn't happy about Evie and Paul but the way Evie talked about him, Kathy was happy for her daughter. Paul's father was kind and loving at one time. She hoped he was the same way.

Evie smiled. "Paul is a great guy who hides behind a tough bad boy persona. He's over six feet tall, maybe six-three or six-four. He has an amazing side to him but he doesn't it show to a lot of people. I know it sounds weird but there is something about him," she tapped her lips with her fingertips trying to think of the right words.

"You feel safe and protected," her mom said with a smile.

"Yeah," Evie replied happily. "Have you ever felt that way before?" She held her mom's hand smiling.

"Yes," Kathy answered. "His father … my best … friend." Her breathing was becoming more difficult.

"I saw a photo of you two with his arm around your waist and you holding dad's hand," Evie said. "Dad was upset with me for looking at the photos." There were tears in her mom's eyes. "Don't cry mom, please don't cry." She grabbed a tissue and wiped the tears from her mom's cheeks.

"Paul was different…when we were younger…sweet…caring," Kathy held her daughter's hand. "Drugs and alcohol changed my friend…to someone…I didn't know." She always regretted not being there to help him. Even though Mitchell made her choose, she should have been stronger for her friend.

Evie kissed her mom's hand. "A very wise woman once told me," she whispered. "There is only so much you can do to help someone, especially if they aren't willing to help themselves." The look in her mom's eyes was riddled with guilt. "Mom is there something else." She touched her mom's cheek with a worried look on her face.

"Evie," Kathy grabbed her daughter's hand and took off her oxygen mask. "There is…something I should…have told you. But I was afraid." She tried to sit up but her arms weren't strong enough. She fell back on the bed with a soft thud. Her breathing became raspy as she tried once again to get up. Tears began to fall as she tried to talk.

"Mom whatever it is, we can talk about it later," Evie whispered placing the mask securely over her mom's nose and mouth. It scared her to see her mom struggling for air.

She watched the monitor release a dose of morphine. A few seconds later her mom's eyelids fluttered before closing. Her breathing became shallow and steady. She held her mom's hand wondering why her mom was afraid. At least one part of the puzzle was solved. Paul's dad and her mom were best friends. But it doesn't explain her dad's reaction to her looking at the photos.

"Hey sweetie, how's your mama today?" Valisa Smith asked walking into the room.

"She's good but she keeps removing her mask," Evie replied. She watched Valisa check her mother's vitals.

Valisa was a heavy set black woman in her mid-sixties. You weren't allowed to call her African-American. She'd say she never been to Africa and had no plans of ever visiting it. Her black hair was short but it suited her. Her southern accent made you feel right at home in New Orleans, even if you were in Southern California. Valisa and her mom met when Evie was five and she was having an asthma attack at the market. Valisa went into nurse mode and calmed her mom while helping Evie relax and breathe slowly until the medics arrived. The women exchanged numbers and have been friends ever since.

When her mom was diagnosed with cancer, it was Valisa who researched the best course of treatment for Kathy. Being a nurse married to a doctor was a huge plus when Evie had questions regarding her mom's medication. She also volunteered as Kathy's hospice nurse. Evie knew she would make sure her mom was well taken care of.

"She wants to talk and the medication and mask make it difficult," she replied with a sympathetic smile. "Your mama will be able to talk a little better tomorrow." She finished writing on the chart before opening the machine that held the IV line and the morphine.

"What do you mean she'll talk tomorrow?" Evie asked confused. "Are you lowering the dosage on the morphine? Does my dad know?"

"Your daddy didn't want to tell you but it really isn't his choice," Valisa said locking the machine. "Kathy made it very clear she wants to stop taking the morphine. She knows the pain will be horrible but she wants to talk to you before…before she leaves you." She smiled as a few tears began to fall.

"But she's not in a position to make those types of decisions. She too ill to know better," Evie protested. "How could my dad allow this?" She sat back down holding her mother's hand.

Valisa wanted to tell Evie the truth but she knew Kathy and Derek would be upset. They wanted to tell Evie. She chose to tell her part of the truth, leaving the rest for Derek and Kathy.

"Your daddy didn't agree and your mama knew he wouldn't, that's why she appointed my son Derek as her proxy. He is making the medical decisions as well as taking care of her legal stuff," Valisa walked around the bed and sat next to Evie.

"When did this happen? I haven't seen Derek visit since I've been home," Evie remarked. She knew her tone was harsh but all of this was a shock. Her mother and father never told her about a proxy or her wishes for treatment.

"Derek went to see your mama at the treatment center while you were visiting your Uncle and cousin. Your daddy was still out of the country," Valisa said looking around.

"There's something you're not telling me," Evie whispered. She knew her dad was still in the house.

"Sweetie, all I know is your parents' love you and whatever might be going on is between the adults," she said patting Evie's cheek. "Now I hear you have a new beau. Give Auntie Val all the juicy details." She had a big smile on her face as she rubbed her hands together. "Your mama only said he was Indian and lived on the Reservation."

Evie smiled thinking of Paul. "Okay but you can't tell Derek. He goes into dad mode when it comes to me dating," she said still smiling.

"I won't say a word," Valisa said moving her hand across her mouth. She pretended to lock it and throw away the key. Like that would really keep her quiet.

Evie sighed knowing she would never make it out of the room without telling Valisa everything. Well, almost everything.

* * *

><p>"Derek, it's nice to see you. If you're looking for your mother, she just left," Mitchell said as he leaned against the door frame. He eyed the younger man in his business suit and briefcase. Derek Smith was not one of his favorite people. He had a strong suspicion Derek was in love with his wife.<p>

"It's nice see you too," Derek replied. He knew Mitchell didn't like him. The feeling was mutual but he would never say anything against him for Evie's sake. "I actually came over to see Evie and you." He walked past Mitchell into the house.

"Derek," Evie squealed as she ran towards him. He laughed as she jumped into his open arms. She could never understand why Derek was still single. He resembled the actor Shemar Moore. He was in his late thirties and all her friends drooled over him.

"Auntie Val just left," Evie said as Derek put her down. "Did you want to see mom? She's still sleeping but I know she would love to see you." She grabbed his hand to take him to her mom's room.

"Actually shorty, I came to see you," he said tapping her nose. She smiled at his nickname for her. He sat down and patted the seat next to him. She shrugged and sat down. "Mitchell have a seat." Derek placed his briefcase on the coffee table. He pulled out a few folders.

"Derek," Mitchell didn't appreciate having someone other than his wife telling him to have a seat in his own house. "You and I should talk before you say a word to my daughter." He was staring down at Derek with his hands balled into fists. He knew about the proxy. But he couldn't understand why Kathy would choose Derek. "My wife and I …"

Derek stood up cutting off Mitchell. "Your ex-wife has made her decision. There is nothing for us to discuss," he calmly stated. "Kathy hired me to take care of all her needs in regards to her illness. Now I suggest you have a seat while I explain some things to Evie." He took off his jacket and tossed it over the back of the couch before sitting down. He undid his sleeves and began to roll them up.

Mitchell glared at Derek for a moment. He could see the confused look on his daughter face. This was not the time to tell Derek exactly what he thought of him. Evie didn't need to know the truth about Derek, at least not yet. Mitchell was tired of this son of bitch thinking he could steal his family.

Evie rarely saw Derek upset. He was always happy with a big smile on his face. He hardly raised his voice, even when he was in court. She didn't notice any tension between her dad and Derek before. Her dad took a seat on the chair across from her. Derek was looking through each folder before placing it on the coffee table.

"You are probably confused about why I want to talk to you. I'll just dive in and began, all medical decisions were left to me per your mother's request," Derek said. He opened a folder and placed it in front of her. "She also set up a trust fund for you, which you get full access to at the age of twenty-one. You have limited access for college and monthly allowances." He opened another folder for her to look at. "We will discuss the monthly allowances at the appropriate time." He cleared his throat.

Evie opened the first folder and scanned through the papers. Her mom left her medical care decision to Derek. One of the papers talked about her wish to reduce her intake of narcotics which managed her pain. She asked for the doctor to ease her off the medication in order to communicate with her family for as long as possible. She understood the immense pain she would be in without the medication but she didn't want to feel comatose and unable to interact with her family. She glanced over the second folder.

Mitchell moved towards his daughter to get a better look at the papers she was reading. He glanced over the proxy stating Derek Smith was to make all medical decisions in regards to Kathy Smith. Wait…he picked up the paper Evie set down and reread the line as well as the signature. Her husband Derek Smith was to make all medical decisions.

"What the hell is going on?" Mitchell snapped. He tossed the paper at Derek. "Why did my wife sign Smith as her last name?" He glared at Derek with hatred in his eyes.

Evie picked up the paper. She looked over the paper in her hands and blinked a few times. She didn't bother to look at the names or signatures. She was concentrating on her mom's wishes regarding her medical treatment. But there it was **her husband Derek Smith agrees to abide to the terms stated by his wife Kathy Smith.**

"Derek, when did this happen?" Evie asked. Shocked didn't even began to cover the emotions she was feeling. "Does Auntie Val know?" She shook her head, of course she knows. The woman knows everything.

"Six months ago, when your mother went to a conference for Indian Self Preservation," Derek answered. He sat at the edge of the couch. "We were planning on telling you but," he gave her a small smile as he took a deep breath.

"She was diagnosed with cancer," Evie finished. "I knew you two were seeing each other but, you should have told me about getting married." She bit her lip to keep the teas from falling.

"You knew your mom was dating him?" Mitchell angrily asked. "Why didn't you tell me?" He turned to face his daughter.

"I didn't say anything because I was waiting for mom to tell me," Evie replied a bit stunned at her father's anger. "You never told me about knowing Paul's father. Apparently you and mom still have something in common; you have secrets you're not willing to share." She regretted her comment the moment it left her lips. The hurt look on Derek's face was like a punch in the stomach. Evie stood up dropping the papers on the coffee table. "I need some air." She grabbed her house keys from the tray by the door.

"Young lady you aren't going anywhere," Mitchell said harshly as he stood up. "We need to talk about this so called marriage between your mother and Derek." He couldn't believe Kathy married this asshole and didn't tell him.

"Evie, your father's right. We need to talk about this together as a family," Derek calmly said as he walked towards her. "I know you are upset but that was not our intention. We honestly wanted to tell you but once your mother found out about her cancer, her only thought was making sure you were cared for." He stood a few feet away from her, hoping she would let him explain.

"Fine, but I don't want to talk tonight. We," she gestured to them, "wait until tomorrow." She turned around. "I want my mom to tell me her reasons for not including me in her decision to get married." She wiped the tears that fell.

Derek put his hands on her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. "Okay," he whispered. "You deserve to hear the truth." He knew they should have told her all those months ago but everything began to spiral out of control with Kathy's illness. "I'm sorry shorty. But when Kathy got sick, all I could think about was her getting better. I would never intentional lie to you." He always thought of Evie as his own.

"I know but you're not off the hook either," Evie lightly punched him in the stomach. "Go spend some time with your wife." She laughed when his face lite up. He kissed her forehead before leaving the living room.

"Cubby," Mitchell felt like he was losing his daughter.

"Dad, I know you still have feelings for mom but it was her choice to marry Derek," she said feeling guilty that her mom found some happiness in her life while her dad didn't.

Mitchell hugged his daughter knowing this would pull them even further apart.

* * *

><p>"Come on Evie," Paul grumbled as the phone continued to ring. "Pick up the phone."<p>

'Hi, you've reached Evie. Sorry I missed your call. I am either out surfing or hanging with Dylan. Leave me a message and I'll call you back.'

"Damn it," he growled. He took a deep breath to calm down as he waited for the beep. "Hey beautiful, sorry I missed your call. I was in the shower. If you get a chance call me. But change your message about hanging with the douche bag. Miss you." He hung up the phone.

"Can't reach your girl?" Jared asked plopping on the couch with a bag of chips. "I heard she spoke to Bella and Jacob earlier." He saw the worried look in Paul's eyes. "Her mom is still kicking but from what Jacob said there is something going on with her dad and some other dude." He stuffed a few chips in his mouth.

"You make a mess, you clean it," Paul scolded. He ran his hand through his hair. "It's probably that guy Derek. He's her mom's friend or something like that. Where's Kim?" he asked. Sam sent Emily to stay with her family until after the fight with the newborns. Even though he missed Evie, he was happy that she wasn't anywhere near here. There was no way he would put her in any type of danger.

"She's visiting her Aunt in Port Angeles," Jared said before stuffing his mouth with more chips. "Jacob…and…Bella….leave….later," he said as he swallowed.

"Yeah, I know Seth is pissed that he won't be with us in the battle," he said looking at his phone. "Brady and Collin don't like it either but they are safer here on the Rez." He rubbed the back of his neck as he paced.

"What's wrong dude?" Jared wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"I haven't spoken to Evie in twenty-four hours. I'm worried about her," Paul grabbed his phone and rolled his eyes in frustration.

"It's the imprint," Jared said. He knew all too well how it felt to go without seeing or hearing your imprint. "Try calling her again." He got up to throw his trash away when Paul's phone rang. He laughed at the goofy look on his friends face.

"Hey beautiful," Paul smiled as her heard her laugh.

"Hey handsome," Evie laughed. "I guess you and I must be on the same page. I was in the shower when you called." She laughed again when he groaned.

"Baby," Paul groaned as Jared made gagging noises. He flipped Jared off and pointed him towards the door. "What about your message?" he asked trying to keep his wolf calm.

"Whatever," Jared laughed. "Don't be late or Sam will kick your ass." He took off with a shake of his head.

"Did I interrupt you?" she asked sitting on her bed. She pulled his sweatshirt close to her. After the day she had, it seemed to relax her.

"No, just hanging with the guys later," he said knowing he couldn't lie to her.

"Sounds like fun," she replied. "Sorry about the message. I changed it just so you know." She completely forgot to change it before she left for Forks.

"How is your mom? I heard something is going on with your dad," he asked sitting on the couch.

"Yeah, it's been crazy," she said. "My dad has been acting weird. I don't know why."

"What's going on Evie?" Paul asked feeling angry. He could hear it in her voice; she was worried and a bit scared.

"I was cleaning up when I found some photos on the coffee table. There was a photo of four guys in their early twenties," she said. "It was a photo of our dads and two other guys. There were other ones of my parents when they were younger." She moved further up the bed until her back hit the head board.

"Your mom knew my dad too?" Paul's anger faded away. He didn't know what to think. "What did they say when you asked them?"

"My dad got angry with me for looking at the photos," Evie replied. "When I asked my mom, she told me your dad was her best friend." She didn't know what it all meant but it was something important. It was the only way to explain her dad's reaction.

"I don't remember my dad ever mentioning a woman named Kathy," he ran his hand through his hair. He heard the shaky breath Evie took. "What else happen?"

Evie took a deep breath. "My mom and Derek were married six months ago. They never got a chance to tell me," she whispered. It was too hard to know their happiness was cut short because of her cancer. "The damn cancer stopped them," she cried not being able to hold it in anymore. "I feel like screaming." She let out a frustrated breath.

"I know this might not help but enjoy the time you have with her. If you waste time feeling sorry for yourself," he said in calm reassuring voice that shocked the hell out of him. "You will miss out on some great memories." He glanced at the clock and frowned. They were probably wanting for him at Sam's.

"Thanks," Evie replied. "Your right, I need to enjoy the time I have with my mom." She wiped her eyes.

"I'm always right," Paul said smugly. "As long as you remember that, we will get along great." He tied a black cord around his right leg.

"Whatever," Evie said with a small laugh. "Derek and my mom want to talk to me and my dad. I'll tell you about it later." She wiped her face with a towel. "Bye."

"Okay, but no more crying," Paul had her shirt in his hand. He hated not being able to help her.

"I'll try, no promises," she tried to keep her voice even. "Bye Paul."

"Bye Evie," he whispered.

If things were different he would be with Evie. Instead he was leaving with his Pack Brothers to fight an army of newborn vampires created by a crazy red head who wants to kill his girlfriend's cousin. Whoa, girlfriend. Shit now was not the time to think about it.

* * *

><p>Evie woke up having a hard time breathing. She reached for her inhaler and took two quick puffs. The dream felt so real. She grabbed her phone but there were no missed calls or texts from Paul. She sent him a quick text saying good morning. She couldn't say, 'Hey had a dream of a giant dark sliver wolf who happen to change into you and it was fighting vampires.' He would think she was crazy and dump her ass on the spot.<p>

She got up and took a quick shower. Her phone buzzed but it was the alarm. She checked her phone but he still hadn't called or texted. She put her phone in the back pocket of her shorts as she left her room. She knew Derek spent the night with her mom. Now that she knew it made sense for him to stay. Her dad on the other hand wasn't happy. He was still in love with her mom and it was clear he thought there was a chance for them to work things out. She knew he wasn't home at the moment.

The childhood dream of her parents getting back together died when she was little. They were better off as friends. She would never admit it to her dad but Derek was more of father to her than he was. She knew her dad loved her but he was never really there for her. She looked at the pictures on the wall and could pin point the exact moment Derek became more than just a family friend.

Evie grabbed a quick breakfast and went back to her room to gather all of Dylan's stuff. She figured it would give her mom and Derek some alone time. She sent a quick text to Dylan telling him to let know when it was a good time to stop by. It took most of the morning and a bit of the afternoon to find all his crap. It was all over the house. She smiled as she passed her mom's room. She dumped the box on the chair by the front door.

She walked in her mom's room to see Derek and her mom kissing. "Hey, child in the room," she laughed. "Innocent eyes here people." She sat in the chair next to the bed. Her mom looked like she had more color and her breathing was definitely better than the last few days.

"Maybe the child…should knock first," Kathy said laughing. She took her daughter's hand. "Are you okay with this?" she asked looking up at Derek before facing her daughter.

"I'm more than okay with it," Evie answered. She kissed her mom's hand. "But I am hurt neither one of you told me." Derek walked around the bed to kneel next to her.

"Shorty, we are truly sorry for not telling you. Even more so for not including you," Derek placed his hand over Evie and Kathy's hands. "If there was some way to go back and change things, we would." He rubbed Evie's cheek before pinching her nose playfully.

"We are sorry sweetie," Kathy said giving her daughter's hand a squeeze. "I promise the next time…I get married…I will include you." She smiled when Derek rolled his eyes.

"There is no else but me," Derek said sternly. "Get that through your head Mrs. Smith."

Evie smiled as they traded remarks. "You are both lucky I love you guys," she grabbed Derek's hand as she held her mom's hand. "Derek, since I was little I've always thought of you as a dad. You have been there for me and mom when we needed you. Especially me, when I needed a dad's point of view, not to mention a shoulder to lean on when I made the wrong choice in friends or boyfriend." She took a deep breath before continuing. "Honestly, I knew you guys were dating for the last year or so. I just couldn't understand why you guys didn't say anything. But then I figured you weren't ready to deal with my dad." She looked at her mom and knew she was right.

"It wasn't just your father," Kathy whispered. She looked at Derek for help.

"We thought you still might want," Derek rubbed the back of his neck. He looked at a loss for words.

Evie softly laughed. "You thought I still wanted my parents back together," she said looking at Derek. "Of course every kid has that dream but I stopped having that dream when I was eight or nine." Her phone rang and she quickly hit reject. "When did you know my mom was the one?"

"The day I took you to the father-daughter dance," Derek said smiling. He got up and sat on the edge of the bed. "We had so much fun that night. You introduced me as Super Daddy," he chuckled. "I had to carry you to your room." He had tears in his eyes. "Your mother and I put you to bed and talked most of the night." He looked at Kathy as he kissed her hand.

"It was the first time we talked alone without Evie or your mother around," Kathy said taking her time to speak.

"When I got home I knew she was the one. But of course it took another four years to work up the courage to ask this beautiful woman out," Derek chuckled. "She gave me such a hard time about our age." He moved closer to Kathy and moved a strain of hair away from her face. "But I won my case." Kathy rolled her eyes at her husband.

Evie got up and opened the curtain to let in more light. She glanced at her phone. It was a text from Dylan. "Dad just pulled up," she said looking over her shoulder. Her mom looked worried until Derek leaned down and began to whisper in her ear. She seemed to relax a bit. "Do you want me to talk to him before he comes in here?" she offered.

"No, I think it would be best for your mother and I to speak to Mitchell first," Derek said before giving Evie a hug and a kiss on the head.

Evie hugged Derek back and gave her mom a kiss on the cheek. She left the room and entered the living room just as her dad walked in. "Hey dad," she grabbed the keys to her mom's car. "I'm heading over to Dylan's. I shouldn't be long." She gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Why? You broke up with him," he stated. There was no reason for Evie to talk to him.

"We did break up. I'm dropping off his stuff," Evie replied. "Besides, his parents are home. I'll be okay." She gave her dad a smile as she picked up the box.

"Okay, but don't be long," Mitchell said. He took a deep breath as he headed down the hall.

* * *

><p>Evie dropped the box in front of Dylan. "Here's your stuff," she said turning around and walking down the porch steps. She didn't need his jacket, shirt, pictures or any of the other crap he left at her house.<p>

Dylan grabbed her arm before she could leave. "Wait a minute. That's it after a year together, you just walk away," he hissed. "It's because of that Paul guy, isn't it?" She pulled her arm out of his hand. "Don't I at least deserve an answer?" he asked hurt.

"Don't act like you're the victim. You slept with April," she snapped. "But you know what; it was over even before that. I was too afraid to end things after my mom got sick. It wasn't fair to you or me to stay together." She wrapped her arms around her mid-section.

"April came on to me. I was stupid to give in to her. She doesn't mean a thing to me," he explained looking at her. He ran his hand through his hair.

"Dylan it doesn't matter," she calmly stated. "Like I said before, it was over between us a while ago." Her phone beeped indicating she had a text message. She glanced at her phone but it wasn't Paul.

"Are you with this Paul guy?" he demanded as he grabbed her phone.

"Paul is none of your business," she replied. "Now give me my phone." She held out her hand. He hesitated before giving her back the phone. "Don't call or text me anymore. I have nothing to say to you." She turned to walk away but stopped when a car pulled up.

"It's not what you think," he quickly said. He tried to hold Evie's hand but she pulled away.

"Dylan your can do whatever you want," Evie got in her car and backed out of the driveway. She smiled and waved at April, who gave her a dirty look.

Evie drove home feeling better knowing Dylan was out of her life for good. She knew it was wrong to stay with him for so long. But in reality she was afraid of being alone to deal with mom's illness. Her phone rang but she ignored it. There was only one person she wanted to talk to but he hadn't returned her call or text. She'd try again when she got home. She just hoped her parents and Derek were still in one piece.

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><p><strong>Thanks for the reviews and PM's. Also thank you for following the story and making it one of your favorites. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.<strong>

**Thanks,**

**india8**


	9. Chapter 9

***I don't own any of the characters from Twilight. They belong to Stephenie Meyer. I only own the original characters in this story.**

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><p>Chapter 9<p>

The ocean air was one of the things she loved in the world. It was home to her. Everything about the beach was home. Her dad taught her how to surf on this very spot. The feel of the sand between her toes, the smell of the ocean, the sound of the gull's, the crash of the waves and the anticipation of riding a wave. Derek helped her build a sandcastle with a moat and tower, any royal princess would envy. She would miss her beach, this tiny bit of sand and ocean. The very beach was where she had her first kiss when she was twelve.

"Evie, when did you get back?" Jerry yelled as he ran towards her. Thinking about her first kiss and he shall appear. He had his board under one arm. Some of the early morning joggers stopped to stare as he passed them. He gave them a megawatt smile.

"A few days ago," Evie replied as she tossed him a towel. He caught it with one hand while he stood his board in the sand with the other. "This was the first time I've been able to head out." She towel dried her hair. "Dave, Enzo and Beth are still out there."

Jerry Fisher was two years older than her. He was five ten with dark blond hair and deep blue eyes. Most girls liked his six pack abs but once they let their eyes wander further up, they fell in love with his looks. They were damn near speechless when they heard his deep husky voice.

"Yeah, Enzo snagged a wave from me earlier. I moved down past the pier when I saw Tank," he replied. "I ran into April yesterday. She told me you were back. She also said you dumped the D-Bag," he laughed at the face she made. He wrapped the towel around his neck.

"Yeah, I know, Dylan was a douche," Evie scoffed. "I should have broken up with him sooner." She flopped down on the blanket she laid out earlier. It was still early. The sun was barely out and there were several people still out trying to catch a wave.

"I'd say now that Dylan is out of the picture," Jerry smiled as he sat down next to Evie. "I finally get my chance, but I hear you're taken." He hit her knee playfully.

Evie bit her lip and laughed softly. "You snooze you lose," she giggled. He rolled his eyes. "His name is Paul Lahote. He lives on the Reservation in La Push. He's an amazing guy. A little rough around the edges but underneath he's a great guy. You'd like him." She leaned back looking out towards the ocean. Beth was riding but leaned too far out and went under.

"We'll see. I saw Derek yesterday morning. He said your mom is okay, still fighting," he turned to look out towards the ocean as well. "You're lucky to have time with your mom." The sky was clear as the sun reflected off the ocean. "I didn't get time with my dad. I was too wrapped up in my life to pay attention to anything else." He smiled when he felt Evie's head on his shoulder.

"You were young, not to mention living with your mom after the divorce," she said looking up at him. "Being twelve and sixteen is a big difference."

Evie remembered the day she found him sitting on this same beach after his father's funeral. His dad fought for two years before the cancer won. Jerry was fourteen at the time and didn't know how to process the loss of his father. She sat next to him, leaned her head on his shoulder and held his hand as he cried.

"You're still the best friend I've ever had. If it wasn't for you, I don't think I would have a relationship with my step dad," he said leaning down and kissing her on the forehead. "You helped me when I pushed everyone away. Thanks for not giving up on me."

"If it wasn't for you, my best friend, I wouldn't know how to handle everything my mom is going through," she replied with a smile. "As for your step dad, you would have eventually come around. You're too nice of a guy. Your welcome and thank you too." She kissed his cheek as she grabbed her bag and got up. "I'll see you later." She picked up her board as she left.

* * *

><p>"It's my choice, not yours Kathy," Mitchell growled in frustration. He got out his seat and glared at Derek. They had this same conversation yesterday while Evie was at Dylan's. "I don't give a fuck what you think. Evie is my daughter not yours. This has to do with me and Evie. This does not concern either of you." He ran his hand through his hair.<p>

"Mitch, please," Kathy protested. She held Derek's hand knowing he wanted nothing more than to throw Mitch out of the house. "We're family." She took small breaths to calm down. "Derek is my husband…he's been a part of our family for eleven years." She knew Mitch would do anything to make it all about him.

"He is not family," Mitchell yelled. "Pining after you, knowing you were happily married, but still pursing you definitely did not make him family." He pointed at Derek with anger in his eyes. "I always wondered how long you two were having an affair."

"Derek never…pursued me while…we were married," Kathy angry said. "The only thing…he is guilty of…in your eyes is being…my husband and…a father to Evie…when you chose…your work over her. Do not speak…to my husband as if…he doesn't have…a voice regarding…Evie's wellbeing." She was out of breath. The longer she talked the weaker she became.

Derek put her mask back on and held her hand. "Mitchell, I think we should continue this discussion at a later time. Kathy needs to rest," he said moving a strand of hair behind Kathy's ear. He gave her a small smile, keeping his anger in check. But when he turned to face Mitchell he couldn't keep the angry glare out of his eyes.

Evie walked in the house pulling her wetsuit down to her waist. She forgot to take a change of clothes and had to walk home in her wetsuit. She wrapped the towel around herself and headed to her room. She hadn't spoken to Paul in a couple of days. He said he was going out with the guys but he never returned her call yesterday. She was anxious to talk to him especially after that stupid dream. She stopped walking when she heard her dad yell.

"Fuck you Derek. I'm sick and tired of pretending you're the good guy," Mitchell shouted. "If it wasn't for you sneaking around all these years trying to steal my wife, Evie would have her family together right now. She always wanted her parents back together." He ran his hands down his face.

"You don't know your daughter at all," Derek fumed. He took a step away from Kathy. "Maybe if you spent more time with Evie instead of working, you would know that dream died when she was ten." He was in front of Mitchell with his hands balled into fists. "And I wasn't the one who caused your marriage to fall apart. If you really want to know who was sneaking around, you should take a look in the mirror," he said heatedly.

"Derek," Kathy whispered looking at the door. She held the oxygen mask away from her face. There were tears rolling down her cheeks. Both men looked at the door.

"Dad, Derek," Evie whispered. She stood at the door looking at the three people she looked up to, arguing as her mom had tears in her eyes.

"Cubby," Mitchell said trying to push his anger away. He smiled at his daughter. "How were the waves?" he asked walking over to her and putting his around her shoulders.

Derek was whispering to her mom as he placed the oxygen mask over her face. The look on her mom's face had Evie scared and angry at the same time. She didn't know what to do or think.

"The waves were fine," Evie answered looking at her dad. She waited for him to explain but he didn't say a word. Derek was still comforting her mom. "What is going on?" she asked harshly looking at her dad. Her heart was beating fast as she waiting for an answer. Her anger increased the longer her dad took to answer.

Mitchell shrugged. "It's nothing cubby, just grown up stuff," he replied with a chuckle. "Why don't you dry off? You're dripping water everywhere." He tried to turn Evie towards the door but she shrugged him off.

"No, dad," Evie snapped as she took a few steps away from him. "Don't patronize me, I'm not a child. Why were you yelling at Derek? Why were you saying those things to him?" She couldn't understand what was going on.

When she got back from Dylan's, her dad was gone and her mom was too tired to talk. Derek tried to explain but she could tell he was uncomfortable being in the middle. Now she knew what they were talking about yesterday or at least a portion of what they were talking about.

"Listen here young lady, I will not tolerant you using that tone with me," Mitchell said irritated. "Go to your room. You're grounded until you learn some respect." He pointed for her leave but she didn't move. "Go. Now," he said through clenched teeth.

Evie stood still, barely breathing, shocked by her dad's behavior. She noticed the last few days he'd been angry with everyone. She tried to move but she was rooted in place. The look in her dad's eyes was all too familiar from a time so long ago she thought it was a figment of her imagination. She stumbled backwards when he took a step towards her causing her to hit the wall hard.

Derek took two steps and was in between Evie and Mitchell. He could see the look of horror on his wife's face. He wanted to comfort her but was overruled by his need to protect his step daughter, no his daughter. He knew Mitchell was an ass but he never thought he would turn his anger towards Evie.

"Mitchell," Kathy cried out. She could see the scared look in Evie's eyes.

"Stay out of it Kathy. We wouldn't be in the situation if you kept your legs closed," Mitchell hissed never taking his eyes off Derek. "This is between me and my daughter Derek," he snarled. He could feel his family slipping away from him. "Get out of my way." He tried to get around Derek but he found himself pushed against the wall with Derek's forearm across his throat.

"Evie may be your daughter but she's mine too," Derek calmly stated as he glared at Mitchell. "Do not ever speak to my wife in that tone again." Anger was coursing through his veins. It took everything he had not hit Mitchell. "I want you out of this house before I call the police and have you arrested for trespassing." Derek took a few steps back reaching behind him for Evie. Once he touched her arm, he moved her towards Kathy. He stayed between Mitchell and his family while keeping his eyes on Mitchell the entire time.

Evie grabbed her mom's hand trying to steady her breathing. He dad looked at her one last time before leaving without a word. Derek followed him out. She looked at her mom with tears in her eyes. She collapsed in her mom's arms and cried. The memory of that night her parents announced their divorce came back. She held on to her mom wishing she could forget that night. The father she remembered from all their vacations, the one who put on puppet shows and spent all his time with her and her mother was gone. He never came back after the divorce. It was almost like he died.

* * *

><p>"How is she?" Kathy asked as soon as Derek walked into the room.<p>

"I don't know honey," Derek said with a shake of his head. "She went straight into her bathroom. I heard the shower turn on." He sat on the bed and pulled Kathy in to his arms. "My mother just got here. She said not worry she'll take care of Evie." He brushed her hair back from her face and kissed the top of her head.

"She remembers Derek…my poor baby remembers," she cried in his arms. "I tried to…shield her." It was bad enough Evie remembered the real reason she divorced Mitchell. But she also saw the real him.

"Unfortunately it was bound to happen. We knew his true side would show once he found out we were married," he wiped the tears from Kathy's face. "Evie needs to hear the truth as well as your brother Charlie." She nodded slowly.

"Your right… she needs to know," Kathy pulled away to look at him. "I love you. Thank you…for loving us…all these years." She caressed his cheek before lying back down.

"Thank you," he whispered. "You and Evie are my family. It just took a little longer to put us together." He gently kissed her before helping her with the oxygen mask. "Get some rest honey." He kissed her forehead as she closed her eyes.

When he closed the door to the room he slid down the wall and cried. He cried for the lost time they spent dancing around the attraction they had for one another. He cried for the family they never got to create together. He cried knowing the love of his life would leave this world and him.

Valisa walked out of Evie's room to see Derek on the floor crying. Her heart broke for her son. The pain he would now have to endure after only a few moments of happiness was hard to watch. She took a step towards him but stopped when Evie touched her arm.

"Let me talk to him," Evie whispered. "He needs a daughter-father talk." She gave Valisa a hug. "Thanks for listening to me Auntie."

"Anytime sweetie," Valisa whispered. She kissed Evie on the cheek and handed her a pack of tissues.

Evie slowly walked over to Derek. She felt for him. It was a lot to handle no matter what the situation was. She sat next to him and leaned her head on his shoulder. He didn't bother to look up as he put his arm around her. They stayed that way for a few minutes. She handed him a tissue. He kissed the top of her head and squeezed her shoulder.

"I'm sorry my dad said those awful things to you," Evie whispered as she twisted her fingers. "Watching the way he acted earlier brought all those nightmares back. He thought you and my mom were having an affair, but it was him." She looked up with tears in her eyes.

"Don't ever apologize for your father's actions," Derek said wiping her tears away. "He was right about one thing." She raised her eyebrow waiting for him to finish. "I was in love with your mom the first moment I met her. When my mom told me she was married, I made sure to stay clear of her. I didn't want to cause any problems for your mom." He cleared his throat and blinked a few times before speaking again. "My only regret was not making my move after the divorce. I could have made her happy." He looked away.

"Hey," Evie said tapping his knee. "You have made her happy." She turned his head until he faced her. "Derek my mom was content with her life but once you guys started dating, she came to life. I should know I'm her daughter." She could see that he didn't believe her.

"How do you know? You didn't even know we were dating," he scoffed with a laugh.

"Okay, a year and a half ago at the Christmas Party your parents' always throw," she said counting on her fingers. "My mom spilled juice on her blouse and you gave her a shirt to wear." He shrugged his shoulders. "She wore that shirt to bed for a months. That's when she realized her feelings for you." She moved her hair behind her ears.

"That doesn't mean I made her happy shorty," he tapped her forehead and smiled.

"A year ago you were in San Diego for a conference," Evie continued. "My mom and I had tickets to the Dodgers game. She cancelled on me, these are the Dodgers we are talking about. You know she never misses a game. All of a sudden she remembered a meeting with the Dean from USD." She laughed when Derek got a goofy smile on his face.

"She surprised me that weekend," he chuckled as he shook his head. "I never expected that from her."

"She was glowing when she came home. Not to mention the condom's in her bathroom plus the birth control," she said with a shrug. She laughed when he looked away. "I'm not dumb Derek, I knew and trust me she was happy." She tapped his hands when he covered his face.

"You sure know how to put a man in his place," he muttered as he lowered his hands.

"Auntie Val has taught me well," she responded. "Six months ago my mom was on cloud nine, now I know why, it was you. She was and still is happy." She scooted closer to him. "I know you both regret not giving me a baby brother or sister to love and spoil." He gave her a sad smile. "You would have made a great dad," she whispered trying to talk around the lump in her throat. "I should know, you've been my dad almost my entire life." He pulled her in to a hug and sighed deeply.

"You just won your argument shorty," he whispered. This kid right here was everything he could ever ask for in a daughter. How did he get so lucky? He has a wife and daughter who love him unconditional.

"I learn from the best," she replied. They got up from the floor.

"This might not be the right time but I have to ask," Derek looked down at her as she put her hands in the pocket of her sweatshirt. She nodded as they entered the kitchen. "What do you remember?" He took a seat at the counter.

"Do we need to talk about it right now?" Valisa asked. She placed a plate of sandwiches and chips in front of them.

"It's okay Auntie," Evie poured herself some juice. She took a deep breath and looked at Derek. "I remember coming home from dinner with you guys. We walked in the house," she said gesturing to Derek and herself. "Dad was yelling at mom. He was holding her by her arms. You told me to run to my room and close the door." She took a bite of her sandwich.

"Is there anything else you remember?" Derek asked before taking a drink.

Valisa was sitting down wiping at her eyes. She had hoped Evie wouldn't remember, it was a bad time for everyone, especially Evie. She couldn't understand why her dad wasn't around. Then the nightmares started. Between the four of them, Kathy, Derek, Marshall and herself they didn't get a good night's sleep for months.

"My dad was having an affair but from the sound of the argument, it wasn't his first," Evie replied. She ran her hands through her hair as she lowered her head. "How could he cheat on my mom and then still want her? If he loved her, why cheat?" She turned her head to look at Valisa and Derek.

"I don't know sweetie," Valisa replied as she took Evie's hand. "There's more isn't there?" She looked at Derek but he was looking at Evie.

"Tell her shorty," Derek said with a nod of his head. He wanted nothing more than to hurt Mitchell for the pain he caused Kathy and Evie.

"I have a brother or sister out there," she said hurt. "He had a kid with someone and never bothered to tell us." She turned to Derek. "I need to know where they are and if they are okay." There was only one person who could answer that question, but she wasn't sure if he would tell her.

* * *

><p>"Hello," Evie slurred as she answered her cellphone. She rolled to her side trying to focus on the clock. Her head felt like it was in a fog.<p>

"Baby, I'm sorry," Paul whispered as he sat on his bed. He felt bad for not calling sooner but none of the pack left Jacob's house until twenty minutes ago.

"Paul," Evie mumbled sitting up. She rubbed her eyes trying to wake up. "It's one in the morning. Is everything alright?" She looked at the clock and shook her head to wake up.

"Jacob was in a motorcycle accident," he said. He heard her gasp. "He's okay, just a few broken bones but he'll recover. Bella was with him when I left a while ago." He hated lying but he knew the cover story they told Charlie was the same one he needed to tell Evie.

"I'll call Bella later. She must be going out of her mind. Poor Jacob," she said pulling her knees up to her chest. "What happen? Were you riding too?" she asked worried.

"No, I wasn't riding," he answered truthfully. "It was just a freak accident." He couldn't say anymore. It didn't feel right lying. He ran his hand through his hair. He took a deep breath. "How's your mom?" He leaned back against the head board.

"She's okay at the moment," she said a bit unsure if she should tell him about her dad.

"Evie, what's going on?" he asked. The hesitation in her voice worried him.

"My dad," she answered with a heavy sigh. "He was out of control. The things he was yelling at Derek and my mom, I didn't know what to do." Her dad didn't return to the house after he left. A part of Evie was thankful he was gone. The other half didn't know what to think.

"Wait, what did he do?" Paul asked as anger filled him. He was out of bed pacing around the room.

Evie took a deep breath and began to explain. "Watching my dad lose it brought back memories I thought were nightmares when I was little," she said in a shaky voice.

Paul stayed quiet. He could hear how scared she was but he also heard the anger underneath. He took a deep breath to calm him and the wolf. He needed to concentrate on her and what she needed, not on his anger.

"Baby, if you don't have to talk about it," he said calmly. "You don't have to." He wished he was with her right now.

"No, I want you to know everything," she replied. "I don't want any secrets between us." His concern for her made her smile.

Paul wanted to kick himself for not telling her about him and the pack. Here she was being honest with him and he couldn't even return the favor. He took a deep breath knowing he would have to tell her as soon as he saw her again. This was something he definitely couldn't tell the one person he loved over the phone.

"When I was seven, Derek and his parents took me out to dinner. When he brought me home my parents were arguing. My dad was having an affair and it wasn't the first time. He had a kid and didn't tell us. I don't know how my mom found out but I have a brother or sister out there." She took a breath to calm down. Thinking about her dad made her angry. "Afterwards I had really bad nightmares. Being little I did the only thing I could do to forget what I saw, I told myself they were just nightmares." She grabbed the sweatshirt that belonged to Paul and held it close.

"Hearing your dad yell at Derek and your mom brought back these memories," he concluded. He ran his hand down his face in frustration. "I can't believe he had the nerve to accuse Derek and your mom of having an affair when it was him all along." Damn it, no wonder she sounded scared. He knew there was a reason he didn't like Mitchell McIntyre.

"Yeah, but when he yelled at me, it terrified me to see my dad that way. I was so scared, I couldn't move," she could still see the look on her dad's face. It made her shiver.

"Your dad yelled at you, for what?" Paul asked angrily. His wolf was clawing to break free. He had to take steady breaths to fight the urge to phase.

"For sticking up for my mom and Derek," she answered. The growl that came over the phone scared her more than she cared to admit. "Paul, it's okay. Derek protected me and my mom. He threatened to have my dad arrested and kicked him out of the house. We haven't heard from him and honestly I don't think I want to." She heard Paul take a deep breath. Then a loud noise, like something being broken over the phone.

"I'm sorry babe, I hate I wasn't there for you. I know what it's like to have nightmares of your parents arguing," he said. There was no way he could continue going on like this and not see her. He needed to see her before he and the wolf lost control.

"Paul, I didn't mean to bring up bad memories for you," she felt terrible for upsetting him. "It seems my mouth just keeps making things worse." She rested her chin on her knees.

"If I remember correctly," Paul chuckled. "Your mouth actually makes things better." He laughed when she groaned. "Evie you can't make noises like that and not be here next to me." He missed her so much.

"Of course your mind went to the gutter," she laughed. "Is there anything else floating around in that brain of yours?" Hearing Paul's voice and telling him everything made her feel better after the crappy day she had.

He relaxed hearing her laugh. "Baby there is a lot of naughty little things I would love to show you instead of telling you. But that will have to wait for another time," he answered in a husky voice.

"You can't use that voice if you're not next to me," Evie scolded playfully.

"Really," he smiled lying down. "Anything else I'm not allowed to do without you." He laughed knowing she was probably turning red.

Her face felt hot and she was thankful he couldn't see how red her face probably looked. "Well," she began. "The panty dropping smile you have, is something you definitely can't do." She closed her eyes thinking about that smile. It sent delicious chills down her body.

"My what?" he asked laughing.

"Don't play innocent, you know what smile I'm talking about," she laughed. "I know I'm not the first person to tell you about your smile." She pulled the covers up to her chin before turning to her side.

"Okay," he laughed. "But you have a smile too." He loved that sexy little smile she had especially when she bites her lip. It made him hard just thinking about it.

"Wait, I have a smile," she laughed and shook her head. "You're lying." She thought about it but nothing came to mind.

"Baby, trust me," he said pulling her shirt from under his pillow. "Your smile does things to me that I can't wait to show you." He smiled when she gasped.

"Paul," she whispered. "You have that panty dropping smile on your face right now, don't you?"

"Maybe," he laughed.

* * *

><p>Evie spent the next few days talking to Bella about Jacob's recovery and with Derek and her mom. She talked to Paul twice a day and also at night, which helped her sleep and kept the nightmares away. Mitchell didn't bother to visit or call. Derek and Kathy finally talked to Charlie and told him everything. He was furious at Mitchell and at Kathy for not telling him the truth all those years ago.<p>

It took Charlie a day to get over his anger. He made it clear he didn't want to see Mitchell anywhere near his sister or niece. Derek promised he would make sure that didn't happen. Charlie and Derek struck up a friendship with a common goal of keeping Mitchell away. Evie knew it was just a matter of time when her dad tried to enforce his parental rights.

"How did it happen?" Evie asked Bella. She knew her cousin was holding out on her.

"After Jacob's accident I was scared. I knew I couldn't be without him," Bella replied. She smiled at a sleeping Jacob. He was almost completely healed. Being a wolf helped the healing process. "You were right, I knew all along who I wanted." She caressed his cheek.

"How did Edward take it?" Evie asked cautiously. "I can't imagine he took it well." Actually she had a feeling he would try and change Bella's mind. He didn't seem the type to bow out graciously.

"Umm…that's a little more difficult to answer," Bella slowly replied as she began to bite her bottom lip. How could she tell her cousin that her werewolf boyfriend refused to let her tell her vampire boyfriend it was over until he could be with her when she does it?

Evie laughed as Bella stumbled over her response. "Let me guess," she said clearing her throat. "Jacob doesn't trust Edward. Which I don't blame him." She opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water. "He would rather you wait until he can be there with you." She plopped down on the deck chair and looked out towards the harbor. She noticed Enzo and his family taking their boat out.

"Why don't you trust Edward?" Bella whispered. She turned away from Jacob hoping he didn't hear her. She didn't want to upset him when he needed to rest and heal.

"I get this vibe from him that sends chills down my spine. He's cold and callous while trying to manipulate everything and everyone around him," Evie said as matter of fact.

"That's not fair. You never gave him chance," Bella protested. But she knew her cousin was right. Being away from Edward cleared her head and opened her eyes to the many ways he tried to control her.

"You asked me, I'm just being honest. When you're with him, I see how your manner and personality change. You look worried that you might say or do something to upset him," Evie continued pointing out what she observed.

"I know, I felt on edge, like I wasn't good enough," Bella whispered. "But with Jacob I don't feel on edge. I can say and do what I want. But I still felt like I wasn't good enough for Jacob either. It took a while to finally see Jacob was worth it and so am I." She sighed as she sat on the floor against the bed.

"Edward obviously loves you, I can see that but there was no heat. It's like in the old days where the guy courted the girl. They may hold hands and share a kiss on the cheek but they are always at arm's length. That would make anyone feel like they weren't good enough," Evie took a drink of her water. "But when you're with Jacob there is heat between you two. You can be yourself and he openly shows you affection." She put her sunglasses on as the sun washed over her.

"Why did it take me so long to figure it out? When it took you only a few days," Bella smiled when Jacob opened his eyes. Her cousin nailed Edwards's personality to a tee. He was still a part of the era he was born in. She held Jacob's hand and let his warmth wash over her.

"It took you longer because you felt you weren't good enough and transferred those feelings to Jacob. But he saw through all that crap and now you have too," Evie said. She moved her hair behind her ear. "You always did over think things." She was happy for Bella and Jacob. They deserve some happiness after everything they are going through. She hoped Jacob healed quickly.

Derek walked out on the patio with her mom in his arms. He gently placed her on the other deck chair. He was helping her with the oxygen mask. Evie got up and took the blanket her mom had on her lap. She helped cover her mom and kissed her cheek.

Evie sat on the ground next to her mom when her mom held her hand out for the phone. "Hey Bella hold on." She handed the phone to her mom.

"Bella, how are you?" Kathy asked smiling.

Evie turned to see Derek lean against the door frame. The look on his face scared her. She squeezed her mom's hand before getting up. Derek waved for her to follow him. They were standing a few feet away from her mom.

"What's wrong?" Evie whispered. She crossed her arms around her mid-section. The look on Derek's face told it was bad.

"Mitchell filed for full custody yesterday. He asked the courts to place you with him stating your mom can't take care of you due to the advance stage of her cancer," Derek was furious. That son of bitch was only thinking of himself. He didn't give a damn what this would do to Kathy or Evie.

"They can't force me to live with him," Evie hissed. "There has to be something you can do. Please don't let him take me." Her chest hurt as she tried to catch her breath. Derek caught her before she fell to the floor. She pulled out her inhaler and took two quick puffs. This was the second time she had to use this damn thing.

"Evie, you need to relax," Derek held her close as she tried to regulate her breathing. "Take steady even breaths." He moved her hair away from her face. "Debra Steele filed a petition on your behalf to stay in our care. We are waiting to hear how things went." They knew the best course of action was to involve Charlie. He just hoped the Judge ruled in their favor.

* * *

><p>"Paul, hey we are meeting with one of Derek's colleagues in a few minutes. I will call you afterwards," Evie said quickly. "I miss you. Bye." She put her phone in her pocket and headed to the living room.<p>

Debra Steele was a beautiful blonde blue eyed attorney. Her height gave her a statuesque look. It must be hard being six feet tall with model looks and a brain that Albert Einstein would envy. Most men made the mistake of thinking her brains only went up to her chest. Evie watched firsthand how Debra could cut down another attorney who thought she was a dingy blonde. She was talking to her mom and Derek when she walked in the living room. There were a few folders on the coffee table along with coffee mugs. Her mom was leaning on Derek listening to Debra explain the papers she was holding.

"Your brother really helped our case with the affidavit he provided for us," Debra stated. "The Judge agreed to your request Kathy, he appointed Derek as Evie's legal guardian on your behalf. Of course the Judge wants to hear from Evie next week," she handed Derek a folder.

"What did my Uncle say to help?" Evie asked curious. She took a seat across from her mom and Derek. She was leaning forward looking at Debra. "Sorry, hello Debra." She gave her a sheepish smile.

"Hello Evie," Debra said smiling. "Your Uncle provided us a detailed account of how often your father was in your life. It also contradicted your father's accounts in his filing for custody." She pulled a file from her briefcase. "The Judge wants to meet with you next week. Normally these types of cases take time but your father helped us in that area. Using your mother's illness as his sole reason for custody helped push this case forward." She handed Evie a file. "I think you should read this over and we can discuss it tomorrow." She picked up her briefcase as she stood up. "It was nice to see you again Kathy, you too Evie."

"Nice seeing you too," Evie replied with a wave.

"Debra, thank you for helping my family," Derek said as he shook her hand. He stood up slowly making sure Kathy was okay to sit by herself. "Kathy and I will look everything over. I will call you first thing in the morning to setup a time for you talk to Evie." He walked her to the door.

Evie began reading the file Debra gave her. It contained a copy of court papers. Her dad actually had the nerve to tell the courts, he was actively involved her life. Stating he never missed a birthday and attended all parent-teacher conferences when he was in town. He even lied saying Evie expressed an interest in living with him a year before her mother was diagnosed with cancer.

"Did you read this?" Evie asked Derek as she shook the papers in front of him.

Derek sighed as he sat down next to Kathy. "Yes, we did. But Debra was able to prove they were all lies. Try not to worry," he said with his arm around his wife. "Don't look at me that way shorty, you know Debra will work her ass off to make sure you stay here with us." He placed a folder on his lap and began to look through it.

"He went too damn far," Evie snapped. "This is his way of getting back at you two for getting married." She ran her hands through her hair.

"Sweetie…don't worry, we will take…care of…everything," Kathy said out of breath.

"I'm sorry mom. It's frustrating that's all," Evie got up and sat next to her mom. She leaned her head on her mom's shoulder. "If it's possible I would like to talk to the Judge sooner." She stared straight ahead wishing her mom didn't have to go through this. It wasn't right that her last days were full of custody hearings instead of enjoying her last days with her family.

"Your butt…is buzzing," Kathy said tapping Evie's behind.

Evie laughed as she pulled her phone out. "It's Paul," she said showing them the caller ID. She got up from the couch. "Hello," she said happily.

"Evie, are you okay? Bella told me about what Mitchell did," Paul said angrily. He couldn't believe that asshole would do that to his own daughter.

"Yeah, I'm okay," Evie replied taking a deep breath. "Debra Steele, Derek's colleague, was able to convince the Judge to leave me in my mom and Derek's care." She sat in the dining room looking out the window. She could hear Derek and her mom talking.

"What the hell is his problem?" Paul was still angry. He wanted to rip her dad a new one but it wouldn't change anything. He was pacing outside the Black's garage.

"Debra is a great attorney. Besides my dad doesn't stand a chance of winning. He is just doing this to get back at my mom and Derek for getting married," she explained. "Debra was able to cut my visitation hours with my dad. I only have to spend two hours with him every Sunday. I get to pick the time so I am picking early in the morning." She could see the sun setting. She loved sunsets. They were always peaceful.

"Too bad this Debra person couldn't cut off his visitations," Paul snapped still irritated.

"I know but at least it's not the entire weekend," she said. "Hey where were you earlier? I tried calling you." She grabbed an apple and took a bite. It tasted sweet and juicy.

"I was hanging out with Embry," he quickly replied. It really wasn't a lie. Now that the red headed leech was gone, their patrols have been cut by one but they now included Forks. With Bella finally ending it 'officially' with the leech, they needed to protect her and Charlie.

"How is everyone? What else have you been doing since I've been gone?" she asked leaning back in her chair.

"Everyone is fine," he replied. "A few of us went cliff diving and I started working on an old Ford truck." He leaned against the garage.

"Cliff diving, that sounds fun," she said smiling. "I wouldn't mind trying that." She took another bite of the apple.

"Hell no, you're not going cliff diving," Paul snapped. "It's dangerous and something could happen to you." He pushed away from the garage.

"Wait, you go cliff diving," she pointed out. "Even though it's dangerous and something could happen to you," she said sarcastically. "And before you say who cares if something happens to you, I do." She missed Paul. He had a way of making her feel safe and at the moment she could really use that right now. She tried not to think about it but it always hit her at night.

He cursed at himself for hurting her feelings. "I'm sorry baby. It's the thought of something happening to you…I don't want anything…damn it," he didn't know how to say it. He ran his hand through his hair.

"Paul, stop its okay," Evie said calmly. "I know how you feel. The other night I had this weird dream about you." She got up and walked out to the patio and closed the door. She took a seat.

"What dream did you have?" Paul asked curious. He could have sworn he felt her fear during the newborn battle.

"Okay but you have to promise not to laugh," Evie ordered. She was twirling a piece of her hair.

He could hear a slight nervous tone in her voice. "I promise I won't laugh."

She took a deep breath before she started. "There were these people, men and woman, but they were different from you and me. They had red eyes with white skin almost like Edward and his sister. They were after someone," she shivered thinking about it. "They walked into a clearing and there were wolves but they were huge. The wolves were all different sizes with different colors of fur but there was dark silver one, I don't know why but I was afraid for him. I didn't want him to get hurt." She switched the phone to her other ear and leaned back in the chair.

Paul could barely breathe. He didn't know what to make of it. Was it possible that Evie somehow saw the battle? He needed to talk to Sam about this, maybe Billy or Old Quil knew something.

"These people were attacking the wolves. They were fighting each other but it was strange the way they were fighting. Smoke was filling the air," she said taking a breath. "The wolves were tearing limbs off these people. The dark silver wolf tore the head off a man but the face looked weird," she explained as goose bumps appeared all over her. "His face reminded me of a vampire but it can't be because vampires don't exist." Her voice shook as she talked. "When the smoke cleared the dark silver wolf began to shake and he changed in to you," Evie wrapped her arm around her waist. "I woke up so scared. I wanted to call you but I didn't want to wake you up." She felt cold just thinking about it. Her chest tightened.

"Baby," Paul quickly said. "It's okay, it was only a dream. Nothing happen to me or anyone else." His heart was beating fast as he felt her panic. "Evie, breathe. Where's your inhaler?" Fuck, she was having an asthma attack. Shit!

Evie reached in to her pocket as her hand shook. The inhaler fell to the ground. She reached for it and fell off the chair. Her phone flew out of her hand. She was finally able to take a puff of her inhaler. She took another before reaching for her phone. Paul was shouting into the phone.

"Paul," she whispered trying to catch her breath.

"Damn it Evie," Paul shouted. He was leaning over with his hand on his knee. Embry was next to him. "You scared the fuck out of me." He was holding his chest as his heart pounded.

"What happen?" Embry asked looking around.

"Evie was panicking and she had an asthma attack," Paul explained to Embry.

"I didn't realize the dream would still scare me," Evie whispered as her breathing began to return to normal. She took steady even breaths.

"I see Jacob at the door. I'll explain what happen," Embry said as he clapped Paul's shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Paul asked worried. He needed to see her. It seemed the imprint was slowly appearing within her.

"Yeah, I'm okay. It was those people that scared me," she replied. The night air was cool. She got up and walked in the house. Derek smiled as he passed her with her mom in his arms. She was asleep with the oxygen mask on.

"The wolves didn't scare you," Paul asked confused. He thought for sure seeing the wolf rip someone's head off would scare her.

"No, I wasn't scared of the wolves. But I was scared of the dark silver wolf getting hurt. Especially after he changed into you," she answered. "My mom use to read me bedtime stories about the Quileute being descendants of wolves. They were always the hero's in my mind." She walked to her room to grab her charger and Paul's sweatshirt.

"So I'm your hero," Paul stated. He heard her laugh with made him feel a lot better.

"Why do you say that?" she asked laughing. The door to her mom's room was open. Derek was lying down next to her mom. She walked to the living room to give them some privacy.

"You said the wolves were your hero's and the dark silver turned into me. Therefore I am your hero," he pointed out. The thought of being her hero was something he could do, but more importantly he wanted to do it.

"Baby you can be my hero anytime," Evie replied smiling.

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you for the reviews. I hope you are enjoying the story. Thanks for following the story and marking as one of your favorites.<strong>

**Thanks,**

**india8**


	10. Chapter 10

***I don't own any of the characters from Twilight. They belong to Stephenie Meyer. I only own the original characters in this story.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 10<p>

Evie paddled out behind Enzo and Beth while Jerry rode a wave. After the last few days she needed to get out of the house. She grabbed her board and went under coming up smiling as the sea water beaded down her face. The sky was still dark, but you could see about twenty people in the water. Enzo and Beth were waiting for her a few yards out.

"There a few more people out here than usual," Enzo pointed out. His normal light brown hair looked dark with it was wet. His green eyes stood out with his hair matted to his head.

"They say a swell hit a few hours ago. Suppose to have big ones hitting, but it doesn't look it," Beth said looking around. Her blonde hair was in a ponytail. She rubbed her brown eyes and then sighed heavily. "Here comes Jerry." She rolled her eyes and leaned her head on Enzo.

"Dude, that wave was awesome," Evie said imitating Jerry's voice. Enzo and Beth laughed. It was Jerry's signature phrase. He pulled up next to her with a big smile on his face.

"Dude, that wave was awesome," Jerry exclaimed pumped up. They all laughed. "What's so funny?" he asked, tilting his head to the side trying to get the water out of his ear.

"Nothing, just something we were talking about earlier," Evie replied. She squeezed out the excess water from her ponytail.

"You never called to tell me what happen in court," Jerry scolded as he hit Evie's leg.

"Well, last week I talked to Debra, you remember her," Evie laughed as Jerry got a goofy smile on his face.

"Tall, beautiful and absolutely perfect," Jerry said smiling. "She is so into me. I could see it in her eyes." Enzo splashed him with water.

"You think every girl wants you," Beth scoffed with a smirk. She had her legs on Enzo's board.

"Don't they," Jerry smiled. He posed with his fists on his hips and stuck out his chest. He winked at the girls.

"No," Evie and Beth said at the same time.

"Whatever," Jerry smirked. "So what happen?" He splashed water at Evie.

"After talking to Debra we had to go to court yesterday," Evie began. She pulled the tie from her hair. "The Judge asked me a few questions and told my dad he didn't see any reason for me to leave my home. My dad was pissed when the Judge said my mom and step dad have done a great job raising me and also kept the visitations at two hours every Sunday." She turned her board to get a view of the waves coming in. "The Judge also granted them a restraining order against my dad." Most of the other people were just floating and not taking a wave. She wet her hair and put it back into a ponytail.

"Evie, take the next one," Enzo said looking over his shoulder. "The other guy waved it off."

"Cool," Evie said looking for the next one to roll along.

"I get the next one," Beth called out. She swung her legs off Enzo's board.

Evie paddled when she saw the one she wanted. It was a big one rolling in and she smiled.

"Fuck," Jerry hissed when he saw Dylan. He paddled just as he saw that fucking D-Bag angle his board at Evie.

Evie got ready to position herself, but her foot was pulled back. She turned to see Dylan pass her and take the wave. He snagged her line. Jerry zoomed by her as he took off after Dylan.

"Crap," Evie growled as she paddled for the next wave.

There was nothing like riding a wave as the salt air and mist hit you. The rush of water under your board as it speeds you towards the shore. She smiled at the small drop of the wave, but was pissed she missed the one she wanted. She knew Beth and Enzo were probably right behind her.

She could see Dylan with his board under his arm. Jerry was a few feet away, grabbing his board. She heard him yelling at Dylan. She rode the wave further in, which isn't always a good thing but she got lucky. She grabbed her board and ran a few feet before dropping it in the sand and taking the leg rope off.

"You asshole," Jerry yelled, shoving Dylan backwards. "Stay the fuck away from Evie. Get over it. She doesn't want you." He was in Dylan's face.

"Fuck you Jerry," Dylan yelled back. He pushed Jerry back. "The only reason you're here is to get in her pants. You must like my leftovers. You're always-" He never got to finish what he was saying. Jerry punched him in the mouth, knocking him on his ass.

Evie grabbed Jerry's arm. "Stop, he's not worth it," she shouted. Enzo and Beth appeared behind them. "He's a jerk who can't handle losing."

Dylan got up and tried to grab Evie, but Enzo pushed him away. "Please talk to me Evie," he pleaded. "Give me a chance to explain."

"Explain," Evie laughed. "Explain what?"

"How he fell and his dick ended up in April," Enzo mocked. He had his right hand in a fist. This was one time he wished Dylan made a move. He never liked the prick.

"I don't think so," Beth added glaring at Dylan.

"Does this have to do with that guy from the Reservation?" Dylan asked with a smirk. "Yeah, I know he's Indian." He ran his hand through his hair.

The electricity in the air had Evie smiling before she even saw him. She knew he was behind her. Her body was tingling all over. It was the weirdest feeling being able to sense him without seeing him. Maybe that's the difference between liking someone and loving them.

"Good, now walk away before you regret it," Paul said standing behind Evie. She turned around with a huge smile on her face.

"Paul," Evie said breathlessly. She wrapped her arms around him and buried her head in his chest. She sighed happily when he wrapped his arms around her. She couldn't believe he was here. His scent invaded her air. She ignored everything around them except him. She was so happy that tears appeared. He was really here in her arms.

"I'm only going to say this once," Paul harshly said. "Stay away from Evie. Don't call or text her, ever. If you come near my girlfriend again, it will be the last thing you ever do." He smiled at the scared look on the asshole's face. He moved his hand over Evie's back. She felt so good in his arms. He missed her more than he realized. Her honeysuckle scent was like coming home to him and his wolf. He smirked as his wolf did a happy dance. For the first time since she left them, they were finally able to breathe.

Dylan grabbed his board and stomped away.

"What happen?" Derek asked as he walked up.

"Dylan snagged Evie's rope and stole a wave. We got into it and then you guys showed up," Jerry answered. He ran his hand through his hair.

Evie looked into Paul's eyes and smiled. "This is what you meant last night," she said as he smiled back at her.

"It was the truth, I am on a road trip," Paul responded smiling. He kissed her nose and buried his head in the crook of her neck. He inhaled deeply before kissing her cheek. The salty taste mixed with her honeysuckle scent tasted like heaven. He turned towards her friends.

"Paul, this is Enzo, Beth and my best bud Jerry," Evie said pointing to each one. "Guys, this is Paul."

Enzo shook Paul's hand while Beth waved. When Jerry shook Paul's hand, they looked each other over before releasing their hands. Jerry looked at Evie and smiled. She was in good hands. Beth mouthed 'details' as she looked Paul up and down. Evie rolled her eyes.

"It's nice meeting you guys, Evie told me a lot about you," Paul said as he kept Evie close to him. "You guys looked good out there. I've never seen Evie surf before." He looked at her and smiled. "You looked great babe." He gave her a squeeze.

"Thank you," Evie rubbed his back. "Sorry for getting your clothes wet." She shrugged as she bit her bottom lip.

Paul leaned down and kissed her. "It was definitely worth it," he whispered.

"Hey, we better hurry or we will be late," Enzo pointed out to Jerry. "The coffee doesn't make itself." He jogged over and grabbed his and Beth's boards. "Nice meeting you Paul, later Derek and Evie." Beth waved bye as she followed Enzo.

"Derek always a pleasure," Jerry said with a laugh as he patted Derek on the shoulder. He picked up his board. "Paul and Evie stop by later for cup."

"Sure," Paul shrugged.

"But after I spend a little time with him first," Evie smirked as she patted Paul's chest.

"Cool," Jerry said as he jogged away.

"This is why you left so early. I was wondering why Auntie Val was at the house," Evie looked at Derek as he picked up her board and bag.

"We could tell how much you missed Paul," Derek replied, walking next to Evie and Paul. He laughed when she made a face. "Shorty, we know you. When you got off the phone, you moped around with a sad look on your face." He pinched her cheek and laughed when she tried to bat it away. "Plus Bella and Charlie said Paul wasn't doing much better." He smiled at Paul's shocked face.

Derek watched them as they walked a few steps ahead of him. Paul seemed like a good kid. He was taller than he expected and looked more like a man that teenager. But Kathy was right about these two. It was obvious in the short amount of time they spent together in Forks, they developed a strong connection. They were in sync with one another. As much as it scared him to admit, they were in love. He always looked at Evie as a daughter, but at this moment it was much stronger. He wanted to protect her.

"I can't believe you're here," Evie laughed looking up at Paul's handsome face. "This is definitely the best surprise I have ever received." They turned down her street as the sun reflected off a car.

"I was surprised when Derek called me. He and your mom told me they were worried about you," Paul caressed her cheek. "This thing with your dad scared you more than you were letting on." He sighed in frustration. All the phone calls they had, he knew she was hiding something.

"I didn't want to worry my mom or Derek. They had enough to worry about," she looked straight ahead. "They had to get a restraining order on my dad. He kept calling my mom and Derek at all hours. I didn't know until yesterday when the Judge issued the order." She opened the gate to their yard. She waited until Derek walked through before closing it.

Derek walked around the side of the house to put Evie's board away. Paul followed Derek put held Evie's hand. She reached behind and pulled the zipper down from her wetsuit. The back deck held their boards and Marshall's fishing equipment.

"Do you all surf?" Paul asked turning to look at Evie. "What are you doing?"

Evie pulled her wetsuit down to her waist. She had her black bikini on. Derek tossed her the towel from her bag. "I'm drying up. I can't go inside with my wetsuit. Auntie Val's still mad from the last time," Evie explained with a devilish smile. She wrapped the towel around herself and then reached under to pull her wetsuit off.

"That's right," Valisa said smiling. "Leaving the carpet wet not to mention the hallway. You're lucky I love you sweetie pie." She handed Derek a cup of coffee. "Paul, to answer your question," she said pointing to Derek and Evie. "They surf and my husband Marshall likes to fish."

"I would have changed at the beach, but Dylan showed up," Evie said hanging her wetsuit on the rack.

"What did that boy do now?" Valisa asked with her hands on her hips. She never liked that boy. Now this one here, he may be rough around the edges, but he was good for Evie.

Paul wrapped his arms around Evie to keep her warm when she shivered. She leaned into his arms. "He snagged Evie's rope," he answered.

"Jerry took off after him. Dylan said some unkind things and Jerry punched him," Evie explained. "Then Paul told him never to bother me again. All in all it was a very interesting morning." She took a step towards the door but stopped. "You made pancakes."

"Your beau looked hungry after his talk with your mama and Derek. I know you're hungry," Valisa laughed. She knew pancakes with strawberries and whip cream were Evie's favorite. "Take a shower first sweetie." She laughed when Evie made a face. She turned to Paul. "Would you help an old woman inside?"

Paul smiled and softly chuckled. There was nothing old about this woman. He had a feeling she had enough in her to take down anyone that crossed her path. He held out his arm for her. "It would be my pleasure," he said with a wink.

* * *

><p>Paul finished his seventh helping and patted his stomach. "Thank you it was delicious," he said putting his arm around Evie. Her hair was still damp from her shower.<p>

"This boy has a hardy appetite. My sweetie pie will need to brush up on her cooking skills," Valisa laughed as she drank her coffee.

"Hey," Evie scoffed as she wiped her mouth. "My cooking skills aren't bad." She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest. Paul was twirling a piece of her hair around his finger.

"Macaroni and cheese out of a box is not cooking," Derek laughed. He laughed even harder when Evie glared at him.

"Says the one who can't boil water and burns the pan," Evie mocked.

"That was one time smarty pants," Derek said trying not to laugh.

Paul watched as they interacted with one another. He envied Evie at this moment. She had a family that loved and cared about her. He never had that.

"Three pans," Valisa whispered, "and one crock pot." She took a drink of her coffee.

"Ha," Evie gloated. "In your face SD, in your face SD, in your face SD." She sang while Valisa clapped.

"Way to encourage her mom," Derek said rolling his eyes.

"I'm supposed to encourage my grandchild," Valisa pointed out. "What type of grandmother would I be if I didn't encourage Evie?" she asked with a wink to Evie.

"Is it always like this?" Paul asked picking up his and Evie's plates. He placed them in the sink.

"Pretty much," Derek said messing up Evie's hair.

"Don't mess with perfection," Evie laughed fixing her hair. She looked at Paul. "My mom is the instigator and flip flops between sides." She got up when Derek lowered his head. She knew it was getting harder for him to see her mom slowly slip away. It was hard on all of them but poor Derek was finding it hard to accept. She gave Derek a kiss on the cheek. "Smile Super Daddy or else you will force me to sing 'the song'." She raised her eyebrow at him.

Derek shook his head. "Please anything but that," he laughed wrapping his arm around Evie's waist. "Your mother tortured me with that song a few days ago." He wiped at his eyes smiling at the memory.

"What song?" Paul asked taking a seat. He could see how much Derek loved Evie. She really was his daughter in every sense of the word.

"Please if you love me at all don't-," Valisa begged with her hands together.

"Yo, VIP, Let's kick it," Derek and Evie sang at the same time.

"You are both bad kids," Valisa grumbled as she threw her hands up in the air.

"Ice Ice Baby, Ice Ice Baby," Derek and Evie sang as they got up and surrounded Valisa. "All right stop, collaborate and listen, Ice is back with my brand new invention." They danced around as Valisa tried not to laugh. Paul didn't care he laughed. "Something grabs a hold of me tightly, flow like a harpoon daily and nightly." Evie was doing the running man while Derek did the cabbage patch.

"If you two don't stop, I will never make homemade chicken pot pie," Valisa said standing up pointing at Evie and Derek. They immediately stopped singing and dancing.

"Auntie, that is so not fair," Evie said with her hands on her hips.

"Mom you know that's our favorite food," Derek exclaimed pouting. He hit Evie with his elbow and she pouted too. Paul laughed at their identical faces.

"Well one of our favorites. There's the homemade mac and cheese," Evie pointed out.

"Green enchiladas with rice and beans," Derek groaned. "Don't even get me started on the pasta dishes." He smiled when he saw a look in Evie's eyes.

"But Auntie's favorite dessert is my double chocolate brownie pie," Evie was tapping her chin. "Now we could always negotiate but you of course would have to allow us to taste test the aforementioned foods, in order to verify they are still worth…umm," she looked at Derek for help.

"Still worth said named dessert," Derek finished with his arm around Evie's shoulder.

"Wow, you two are bad," Paul laughed. He was enjoying watching Evie smile and laugh.

"She sounds more and more like you every day," Valisa laughed.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Evie and Derek said at the same time. They looked at each other and laughed.

"Okay you two. Derek, wash the dishes please," Valisa smiled with a shake of her head. "I need to check on Kathy." She gave Derek a kiss on the cheek. "Evie why don't you help Paul get settled into the guest room." She kissed Evie on the cheek and patted Paul on the cheek as she walked out of the room.

Derek walked over to the sink and began to fill it with water. "Your mom is scheduled to start her morphine drip tomorrow," he said not turning around. He couldn't bear to see the look on Evie's face.

Paul held Evie when she swayed. Derek and Kathy explained what it meant for her to go back on the morphine. He was hoping Derek would wait before telling Evie but it wasn't his call.

"I know," Evie whispered. Derek finally turned around. "Before I went surfing, I went to check on you and mom. That's how I knew you were gone and Auntie Val was here." She held onto Paul's arm. "I checked mom's chart and saw the order for morphine. I just didn't know when she would start." She took a deep breath.

"She wanted to wait until the hearing was over," Derek explained. "Your mom has been in so much pain but she didn't want you and me to go through the custody hearing alone." He ran his hand down his face. "She is so stubborn. Her only thought was protecting us." He turned the water off.

"I love her but sometimes, I want to shake her," Evie said frustrated. "She wanted; no you both wanted Paul here to help me so I wouldn't be alone." She leaned into Paul welcoming his warmth.

"Evie, I wanted to be here for you too," Paul said. He rubbed her arm.

"I know and believe me, I am so glad you are here," she admitted happily. "Let's get you settled in the guest room." She smiled at Derek before walking out of the kitchen.

"Do I really have to stay in the guest room?" Paul whispered as they walked down the hall. He gave her ass a gentle squeeze. It was difficult being this close to her, not able to taste her.

"Yes," she laughed. When they walked into the guest room she turned around in his arms. "I missed you." She smiled as he leaned down to kiss her. The electricity she felt before hit her all over.

"Me too," he whispered before kissing her. The imprint pull for Evie seemed to intensify hundred fold.

The kiss was gentle and sweet. They didn't rush it even though they wanted more. Their new found feelings for each other washed over them. They were perfectly in sync and all that mattered at that moment was them. Every touch brought them closer as a couple.

Paul moved his hands from her waist to her ass. He gave her plump ass a squeeze with both hands. His dick got hard hearing her gasp. He moved one hand to the small of her back while the other traveled up to her hair. Her hands were under his shirt feeling his abs. The feel of her luscious wavy hair reminded him of the fantasy of taking her from behind and pulling her head back by her hair. The wolf in him howled for the fantasy to become reality. He gently tugged on her hair.

Evie moved her hands up to his chest and sighed happily. She loved the way his abs and chest felt under her fingers. She hated there were too many layers of clothes between them. When he pulled her hair, it felt good. She moved one hand up to the back of his neck and held him firmly in place as she tried to deepen the kiss. Her other hand moved down into his shorts and grabbed his ass. His ass was perfect in her hand. The growl that escaped his lips boosted her confidence. She slowly moved her hand around his waist to the front of his shorts. She wrapped her hand around him and gasped at how huge he was. She knew he was but it still amazed her how he was able to fit inside her. Her thumb moved his pre-cum over his tip. Her hand moved along his thick hard length.

Paul moaned throwing his head back. He bit his lip to try and stay quiet. Fuck it felt good. He knew she wanted him. The smell of her arousal hit him in all the right places. He leaned down and kissed her but this time he didn't hold back. It was rough as he dominated the kiss. Her mouth tasted better than he remembered. The feel of her little hand stroking and twisting around him drove him crazy. When she reached down with her other hand and rolled his balls as she firmly squeezed and stroked him, he throbbed so hard in her hands it hurt. He quickly moved away from her throwing his bag on top of the bed.

"This is a nice guest room babe," he said trying to contain his frustration and full on erection.

Evie didn't say anything. Did she do something wrong? Her body wouldn't move when she tried to take a step in his direction. She tried to keep the hurt look off her face.

"Here are some towels," Derek said dropping a small pile of folded towels on the bed. "If you need anything don't hesitate to ask." He messed up Evie's hair before leaving the room.

Paul immediately pulled Evie into his arms. "I'm sorry. I heard Derek," he whispered. "I'm pretty sure he wouldn't appreciate catching us in the middle of foreplay." He kissed her neck and smirked when she shivered.

"I thought I did something wrong," Evie whispered. She relaxed in his arms.

"Baby you could never do anything wrong," he smirked. She playfully hit his chest and rolled her eyes. "But I would love to finish what we started." He moved his thumb over her breast and was greeted with a perky nipple that he wanted nothing more than to suck and nibble on. "I want to fuck you right here and now." He growled in her ear.

Evie couldn't control herself. She pulled his face down to hers and kissed him hard as her tongue exploded his surprised mouth. She shoved her hands down his shorts and picked up where she left off. The smirk on her face when he growled and bit her skin where her neck and shoulder met felt incredible.

Paul knew Derek and Valisa were with Kathy behind closed doors. He reached over and closed the door leaving only a small opening. He reached in her pajama bottoms and smiled when she gasped. He knew she was wet and her arousal was intoxicating. Her legs opened and he quickly flicked her clit and swallowed her moan.

"Shhh," he whispered as he nibbled on her ear. Sliding his finger slowly through her wet center, he inhaled deeply. "You smell so fucking good Evie." He plunged one finger inside her, enjoying the way she coated his finger.

"More," she moaned in his ear.

He didn't waste time as he used his index and ring finger to open her. His middle finger plunged in her fast and hard as his thumb moved over her clit. He needed her to come all over his hand.

Her hands were busy stroking and rolling him. She loved the way he felt in her hands. His skin was smooth and silky. His scent was driving her crazy. She wanted more of him as his mouth covered hers. Her hips were rocking at the same speed as his. She bit her lip to keep from screaming his name as he rolled her nipple between his finger and thumb as he kissed her neck and shoulder.

Paul knew she was getting close. He pumped his middle finger deep inside her. He began flicking and rubbing her clit with his thumb. He plunged two fingers inside her and heard her whimper in pleasure. He picked up the pace as her beautiful hands squeezed him hard with each stroke. Fuck he was close.

Evie tried to match his speed. Damn she was so close. He knew it too, by the way he hooked his fingers as he hit her deep inside. She squeezed her thighs as her muscles tighten around his fingers. He bit her earlobe before resting his head on her shoulder. She nibbled on his earlobe and whispered his name before she exploded around his fingers. Her head fell back against the wall as she bit her lip.

Paul grunted as she coated his fingers. Fuck she smelled so good. He moved through her hands knowing he was almost there. She rested her head next to his. Her lips were moving against his skin. She squeezed and rolled his balls. They tighten in her hand as he bit her where her neck and shoulder connected. It felt fucking great to bit her in that particular spot as she milked him dry.

They didn't move as they tried to control their breathing. Their heads were next to each other enjoying the closeness. Paul kissed her as he took his hand out of her pajama bottoms and from under her shirt. He pulled his shirt over his head breaking the kiss for only a moment. He tapped her hands and she blushed. He wiped her hands as she pulled them out of his shorts. He nodded towards the bathroom.

Evie opened the door to the guest bathroom and turned the light on. It was weird to go about and clean up without say a word to each other. But it wasn't uncomfortable or embarrassing. She went to the sink and washed her hands. From where she was standing she could see Paul in the mirror pulling out clothes. His bare chest made her stomach do flips. Those abs looked perfect. The way he moved as he walked towards her was graceful and primal, like a wolf stalking its prey. She smiled when he kissed her neck.

Paul kissed along her neck to her jaw. He wanted her in every possible way but he knew they were lucky not to get caught this time. She leaned back and tilted her head to the side, giving him better access. He placed his clothes on the counter and moved his hands to her tiny waist. He turned her around and pinned her against the sink. He looked into her lusted filled eyes and took a deep breath. That was probably the wrong thing to do. Her arousal and scent filled his nostrils and head. He leaned down until their foreheads were touching.

"I know," she whispered as she caressed his face. His hands were firmly on her waist.

"Yeah," he whispered. "It says a lot that I actually give a damn. Normally I ignore the rules." He pulled away to look at her. "What's with the frown?" he asked rubbing his thumb over her lips.

"Sorry," she replied kissing his thumb. She smiled when he moaned. "Thinking of the conversation we had before I left Forks." A part of her wished she was his first like he was hers.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked nervously. The thought of her looking at him with disgust scared him. What if this is what changes her mind about him? He knows he is supposed to take any role she decides. But he couldn't be her friend and watch her with someone else. Fuck that, she was his in every way possible.

"No," she responded. "I don't know if I'm worried what number I am or if it's the total number that worries me." The look in his eyes made her feel guilty. "But I like the fact I am the last." She smirked.

"What makes you so confident you're the last?" he asked before biting on her bottom lip.

She laughed. "What makes you think I'm not?" she grabbed his ass. His husky laugh made her stomach flip and her girl parts tingled when he gave her his panty drop smile. She bit the inside of her mouth to keep from moaning.

Paul pressed against her as he throbbed for release. He could smell how aroused she was getting. "You can't smile like that and expect me to behave," he gave her a kiss and stepped back. He crossed his arms to try and contain his urge to take her right here.

"I'd say I'm sorry but I think we both know I'm not," she answered. "But it doesn't help with that panty drop smile of yours either," she said as her eyes looked him over.

"Quit eye fucking me," he groaned. She was making it hard for him to do the right thing.

"You started it," she smirked. "How about I let you change?" She walked by him making sure to rub her breast against him. She bit her lip when she noticed the tip of him poking out of his shorts.

Paul watched her walk out of the room. Fuck, he was hard and needed another release. He looked down and frowned. 'Sorry buddy,' he thought. He turned on the shower making sure it was cold.

* * *

><p>Evie didn't want to leave the house until she had a chance to talk to her mom. The medication made her sleep more than normal. She walked out her mom's room with Valisa right behind her.<p>

"The doctor's office called. They have everything I ordered for your mama. I will be back in a little while," Valisa said as she grabbed her purse.

"Okay Auntie," Evie answered.

"How is she?" Paul asked pulling Evie into his arms.

"She is still asleep," she replied. "Derek is sitting with her." She rubbed his back. "Do you mind hanging around the house?"

"Of course not," he answered. "We can watch a movie or something." He kissed her softly as he pulled her closer.

"Thanks," she whispered. They walked to the family room and sat down on the long couch. She pulled out the remote and turned the TV on.

He kissed her as he took the controller. "Man controls the remote," he laughed. She rolled her eyes as she snuggled closer to him.

"Apparently that's not the only thing man wants to control," she yawned.

"I only want to control one thing," he said sliding down on the couch. "But you look exhausted. Close your eyes baby." He kissed her forehead as he wrapped his arms around her.

"But I'm not tired," she protested. She snuggled close to him. "I just want to see my mom and then we can grab a coffee and walk around the beach." She yawned again.

"Okay, we can leave in a few minutes," he said chuckling. He looked down to see Evie's eyes closed.

Paul flipped through the channels and stopped on a movie. He shook his head at Evie. He knew she was having a hard time sleeping. Her scent helped him relax. He needed this too. Being without her was taking a toll on him. He knew the pack was happy to have him gone for a while. The angry outburst and picking fights for no reason were pissing everyone off.

He pulled his phone out and rolled his eyes. Of course Baby Alpha would call and check up on him. "What?" he asked frustrated. Evie moved and turned in his arms. Her back was pressed perfectly against his front.

"Love you too Lahote," Jacob said laughing. He was outside waiting for Bella. "How's everything going over there? Was Evie surprised?" He knew how hard it was for Paul being away from Evie.

"Fuck you Black," Paul scoffed. He knew Jacob was just bating him. "Everything is pretty much the same. Evie was very happy to see me." As angry as the prick made him sometimes, Jacob actually came through for him when it came to Evie.

"Do you kiss your girl with that mouth?" Jacob asked laughing. He loved getting under Paul's skin.

"My girl can't get enough," Paul responded confidently. "How was that cold shower last night?" he asked chuckling. He overheard Bella telling Leah, she wanted to take it slow with Jacob. The bonfire last night was very informative.

"Whatever asshole," Jacob mumbled. He ran his hand through his hair. "Sam called. The Council wants to talk when you get back." He could hear Bella's truck heading his way. "They weren't happy you left without telling them but Sam reminded them of the imprint. He told the Council they could blame him for allowing you to leave."

"What do they want?" Paul asked suspiciously. He hated when the Council interfered with the pack, especially when they tried to give advice. He pulled Evie close as he leaned down and inhaled deeply. Her scent calmed him instantly.

"You know," Jacob said. He smiled when Bella turned down the road. "Look, we are both in the same situation." He waved as Bella got closer.

"What are you talking about?" Paul snapped. He was irritated the Council was trying to butt into his relationship.

"They want to meet me too," Jacob quickly said. "I was supposed to tell Bella the moment she chose me but you know the leech was still in the picture. We can talk about it later." He opened the door for Bella giving her a quick kiss. The blush that covered her cheeks made him smile.

"Who are you talking to?" Bella asked wrapping her arms around Jake's waist.

"Paul," Jacob answered. He leaned down and kissed her neck. He smirked when she gasped.

Paul could hear Bella and Jacob. "Black I really don't want to hear you strike out again," he said annoyed. Evie turned snuggling closer to him.

"Paul its Bella," she said quickly. "How's Evie? The last time we talked, she didn't sound good." She bit her lip waiting for him to reply.

"She's okay," Paul answered. "She was having trouble sleeping but she's resting at the moment." As much as he disliked Bella for all the shit she put them all through, he knew she loved her cousin. Now that she finally opened her eyes and picked Jacob, she might not be that bad.

"Thanks for taking care of her," Bella said. "Here's Jake."

"I'll tell Sam you'll call him later," Jacob kept his arm around Bella as they walked to the garage.

"Okay," Paul muttered. He hung up without saying another word. He put his phone back in his pocket.

Fuck, there was no way he could tell Evie about him and the pack while she was going through all this stuff. He sighed heavily as he looked at the ceiling. At least he didn't have to go alone. Jacob was in the same crap as him. Baby Alpha better tell Bella soon or it could be bad. He looked at Evie's beautiful face and knew his days were numbered.

He turned his attention to the TV and tried to pay attention. Unfortunately his mind kept wandering to the inevitable talk that awaited him and Evie. The imprint between them was strong not to mention the love they felt for one another. She wouldn't turn him away like everyone else in his life has done. He knew the only reason the guys didn't kick him to the curb was the pack bond was strong.

He didn't bother trying to pay attention to the TV. His mind kept going over possibility. The life he and Evie would have was something he wanted more than anything. He held her close and tried to push the fears he had of losing her out of his mind.

"Paul," Derek whispered trying not to wake Evie. He knew this was the first good sleep she had in weeks.

Paul opened his eyes looking up at Derek. "Sorry I didn't realize I fell asleep," he said trying not to move too fast. He was fully aware Evie was still wrapped in his arms.

"Mitchell called," Derek whispered. "He's on his way over. I think it might be a good idea if you and I weren't here." He waved for Paul to follow him.

Paul slowly pulled himself away from Evie. His wolf growled at the loss of her scent. He followed Derek out into the hallway. "What's going on?" He knew Derek wasn't afraid of Mitchell, so leaving was an odd thing to do.

"The last few times Mitchell and I have seen each other we exchanged some heated words," Derek said as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't want that to happen again in front of Evie. The look on her face after watching Mitchell lose it is something I don't want to see again. I don't ever want to put her in a position where she feels the need to choose between her father and me." He glanced at Evie as she slept.

Paul looked at Derek for a few minutes. "Okay, but I don't feel comfort leaving Evie here alone," he said.

"My mom is here and trust me," Derek said smiling. "No one stands a chance against her when it comes to Kathy and Evie." The lengths his mother would go to protect them was maternal. "I just need to grab my wallet. I'll meet you in the living room." He took off to his and Kathy's room.

Paul walked over to Evie and kissed her cheek. He noticed Valisa walking down the hall. "Valisa," he said following her.

Valisa turned around and smiled. "What do you need sugar?" she asked.

"Evie's sleeping and I was wondering if there's a blanket I could use to cover her," he asked. He hated to leave her but Derek's right. There was no reason for them to stay if it was going to cause problems. Kathy needed her rest and Evie didn't need to referee between any of them.

"I'll grab it. You have fun with Derek," Valisa said happily. She patted Paul on the cheek. He smiled as she walked away.

Evie turned and shivered. She slowly opened her eyes and stretched. The room was quiet and the TV was off. Paul, her warm pillow was gone. She smiled when Valisa walked in.

"I was just bringing a blanket for you," she smiled. "Did you sleep well?" She rubbed Evie's cheek.

"Yeah, but then I got really cold," Evie replied sleepy. She yawned. "Where's Paul?" She got up and stretched again.

"He's leaving with Derek to run an errand," Valisa replied. "I don't think they left yet." She patted the blanket and left to put it away.

Evie walked down the hall to check on her mom but noticed Derek and Paul by the door.

"Shorty, we'll be back in a little bit," Derek called out as he grabbed his keys.

"Wait, where are you guys going?" Evie asked walking into the living room.

"I have a surprise for your mom," Derek answered opening the door. "I thought it would be a good idea to get Paul out of the house for a few minutes." He tried to look innocent but he knew she didn't believe him.

"Sure," she scoffed. Her arms were crossed over her chest. "You know lying to your kid is the worst mistake a parent can make. It shows you don't trust me and I can't trust you to tell me the truth." She leaned against the door frame waiting for a response.

"I really hate when your throw my advice back in my face," Derek scoffed as he ran his hands down his face. She raised an eyebrow at him. He couldn't help thinking she looked so much like her mom. "Okay, your dad is coming over to pick up his stuff. I thought it would be best if Paul and I were out of the house. We aren't big fans of him and vice versa. Sorry shorty."

"Your right," she finally said walking to Paul. "Auntie is here and between the two of us, dad will behave." He leaned down and gave her a quick kiss. "I missed my warm pillow," she pouted." He ran his finger over her lips.

"Sorry babe, I was hoping you would sleep a bit longer," Paul whispered. "But I am hot, not warm" He kissed her one more time before following Derek out the door.

She smiled and locked the door. They were better off not being her when her dad arrived. He made it known that he hated Derek and didn't approve of Paul. He actually thought by expressing his opinion, an opinion she of course didn't ask for, on Paul and point out reasons not to date him would bring them closer. He couldn't stand the fact her mom loved someone else.

She sighed when she looked at her phone. There were four missed calls from her dad and just as many voicemails. She didn't want to hear him bad mouth Derek and Paul again. Her dad went from one extreme to the next. The last conversation she had with her dad was strange. He apologized for staying mean things about Derek and Paul but later in the day he left her message calling Derek a thief. He felt Derek stole her and her mom from him. He couldn't understand how she could allow Derek to replace him. She knew it wasn't worth the arguing with him.

Her mom was sitting on the recliner Derek ordered for her a few days ago. "Hey, the guys left for a little while. I figured I take advantage of getting some quality time with you," Evie kissed her mom on the cheek. "Thanks for inviting Paul. As usual you and Derek are very perceptive." She laughed as she sat on the bed.

"Of course we are," Kathy replied with a smile. "We love him…by the way and your welcome." She held out her hand. Evie kneel next to her mom as she took her hand. "Derek hired…private detective…he knows you want to find…your sibling."

"Thanks," Evie replied. "I'm going to try and talk to dad. Maybe he will give me some answers but I'm not going to hold my breath." She rubbed the back of her mom's hand. "Are you holding on because of me?" she asked in a small voice. She wiped at the tears that fell.

"Evie," Kathy whispered pushing her own tears back. "I'm not ready… to leave you or Derek. There are things…I need to put in order…before I leave you both." She wiped the tears from her daughter's cheeks. "You are the best…part of me. I am so…honored to call…you my daughter." She slowly placed the oxygen mask on.

Evie rested her head on her mom's lap like she used to do when she was little. Her mom ran her fingers through her hair. They stayed that way for a while just enjoying the silence. She felt her mom twisting her hair. She smiled knowing her mom was making a braid from a strand of her hair. The doorbell rang and Evie lifted her head.

"There's a hair…tie on the table," Kathy said pointing to her left.

Evie nodded as she took the braid from her mom. She grabbed the tie and walked out of the room. She heard Valisa open the door. The door to the master bedroom was open. There wasn't time to think. She ran down the hall and went in the room and began to search.

"Mitchell, how are you?" Valisa asked sweetly moving aside to allow him in.

"I'm good. How are you?" Mitchell responded in a sharp tone. He looked around wondering when Derek would make his presence known, fucking smug bastard.

Valisa ignored his tone and smiled. "I'm great. Marshall should be home soon," she replied politely. Mitchell looked a bit confused. "He's been teaching a class in New York for the last two months. I would have gone with him but Kathy comes first." She walked towards the hallway. "I packed your things but I left the box in the room, just in case I missed something." She ignored the eye roll Mitchell shot her way.

"That was very kind of you," Mitchell mumbled. "Where's Evie?"

"She was with Kathy the last time I saw her," Valisa answered. He turned and headed towards Kathy's room. "Mitchell, please don't go in there." She hurried after him.

"I just want to say hello to my daughter," he answered innocently. His hand was on the doorknob when Valisa placed her hand over his. "Kindly remove your hand." He turned and glared at her. "You can't keep me from my daughter."

"I have no intention of doing such a thing," Valisa replied angrily. "But there is a restraining order and you are not permitted with hundred feet of Kathy. At this moment you are violating the order." She glared back at him. "Your things are in the master bedroom. Please gather your things and kindly leave." She was not about to this man intimate her.

Mitchell opened his mouth but stopped when he noticed Evie standing by her room. "Cubby, you haven't returned my calls," he scolded his daughter playfully. "Valisa thought you were with your mother. I was going to look in and say hello." He pulled his hand from under Valisa's and walked to his daughter.

"Auntie's right," Evie said coldly. "You need to stay hundred feet away from mom." She watched the smug look on her dad's face turn into a dirty look. "As for the unreturned phone calls," she began. The vein in his neck was bulging out. "My boyfriend surprised me with a visit." She smiled as she rocked back on her heels.

"Paul," Mitchell chuckled with a shake of his head. "I'm amazed he took the time out of his busy schedule to grace you with his presence." He passed by Evie laughing. She was just like her mother, naive to the Lahote's. They were breed as womanizing alcoholic Neanderthal assholes.

"Well the same could be said about you," Evie responded with a glare.

Mitchell stopped and turned to face Evie. "What do you mean by that?"

"Just because you knew Paul's father doesn't mean you know him. They are two different people," she stated angrily. "But you wouldn't know that considering you haven't taken the time to get to know him." She was so angry at her dad.

Valisa watched them stare each other down. She knew everything would fall apart once Mitchell found out about Derek and Kathy being married. It hurt to stand by all those years and watch this man treat Kathy like a doormat. She didn't doubt his love for his family but he had a strange way of showing it. Evie looked like her mother but had her father's love of adventure.

"I just about had enough of your mouth little girl," Mitchell snapped. "I am your father and you will show me some respect." He stood in front of her glaring at her.

"Respect is earned," Evie retorted. "Not given." She walked away from her dad but stopped. "Do you know where my brother or sister is living? Is he or she older than me? I think I have a right to meet him or her." The look on her dad's face told her nothing.

"Why do you care about a mistake I made so long ago?" he asked walking towards her. He sighed deeply. Maybe if she knew something it would be easier for her to let it go. "He's older by a few months and doesn't know anything about us." He placed his hands on her shoulders.

Evie gasped as the realization sank in. She has a brother. "Your mistake, as you call it, is my older brother," she said hurt by his lack of emotion. "Why did you do it dad?"

Valisa's heart broke for Evie. As angry as she was at her father, he was still her father. She loved him. The conflict that was waging inside this poor girl was clearly written on her face. She needed answers to understand why her father hurt her mother without a care in the world.

"I thought your mom was having an affair," Mitchell finally responded. He ran his hand through his hair. "It was stupid and it meant nothing. I love your mother." He took a picture off the wall. Kathy was holding a six month old Evie. They were looking at each other as Evie slept. He smiled bitterly knowing he could never get back that moment.

"That's exactly what you told mom that night," Evie replied in a small voice. Her dad slowly turned around with a shocked look on his face. "I remember dad. I remember everything about that night." She took a step back when he reached for her. The tears in her eyes blurred her vision.

"Cubby," Mitchell whispered as he watched his daughter turn away. "Please Evie, don't turn your back on me too," he begged. The fear of losing his daughter gripped his heart in a tight vice.

"Dad," Evie cried. "I don't… know what…to say." She looked at the ground as she cried.

Mitchell put a hand on his daughter's shoulder as he slowly turned her around. "I am so sorry for any pain I have caused you. But I can't change the past," he said wiping her tears away. "I am still your father and I love you cubby. That will never change." He kissed her forehead. They turned when the front door opened.

Derek and Paul immediately stopped talking when they saw the tears on Evie's face. Valisa had a tissue under her nose. Paul was next to Evie in three long steps. She was in his arms with her heard buried against his chest. Her entire body shook as she cried. Anger filled Paul's body as the wolf wanted nothing more than to tear and snap Mitchell apart for causing their imprint pain. Derek looked at Evie and then at Mitchell's devastated expression.

"I'll grab my stuff," Mitchell said in a defeated voice. He turned and walked to the bedroom.

"Baby, what happen?" Paul asked as he held Evie close and gently rubbed her back.

Evie couldn't talk. The lump in her throat as well as the sobs that raked over her body, made it impossible to talk. She shook her head and held on to Paul tightly.

"Mom," Derek whispered.

"Evie told Mitchell," Valisa said trying to catch her breath. She wiped at her eyes. "She remembered that night." She held on to Derek's arm. "He told her she has an older brother. He's a few months older than her." She knew Derek and Kathy were looking for Evie's sibling.

"Thanks mom," Derek kissed her on the cheek. He walked over to Evie and kissed her forehead. "It's okay shorty." He hated to see her cry but it was unavoidable. With everything that's happen in last few weeks, he was surprised she lasted this long without breaking down.

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><p><strong>Thank you for the reviews and PM's. Also thanks for following the story and marking it as your favorite. I hope you enjoyed the chapter.<strong>

**Thanks,**

**india8**


	11. Chapter 11

***I don't own any of the characters from Twilight. They belong to Stephenie Meyer. I only own the original characters in this story.**

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><p>Chapter 11<p>

They walked along the beach up to the pier. Evie smiled at Paul's shirt. The black shirt with a white outline of Mickey Mouse showed off his arms and chest. She thought the girl that sold them the shirt was going to faint when Paul changed his shirt in front of her. She really couldn't blame the girl. He did look great without a shirt. But he definitely looked even better with nothing on. Of course that was for her eyes only.

She was surprised he didn't want to stay until the amusement park closed, but deep down she was happy he didn't. They did have a lot of fun on the rides. They bought shirts for Jacob and the guys. They took pictures and ate at the restaurant inside the Pirates of the Caribbean. She laughed when they went through the Haunted House. He hit his head when they got on the cart. But she made it up to him by kissing him senseless.

The pier wasn't crowded but there were a lot more families out. There were a lot of kids running around laughing and having a great time. They both looked over the railing when two guys around their age jumped off the pier. One of them did a backflip almost hitting the wooden pole.

Paul pulled Evie closer as they watched the sunset from the pier. She looked away when she yawned. "How are you feeling beautiful?" he whispered in her ear. The slight breeze carried her scent around him.

Evie pulled his arms tighter around her waist. His husky voice sent goose bumps all over her body. She smiled as her back felt his abs press against her. She turned and kissed him. "I'm fine," she whispered before nibbling on his bottom lip. "You taste really good." She gently rubbed her nose against his.

"Really," he smirked. The look in her eyes made his stomach muscles tighten. "What do I taste like?" he asked. Before she could answer he kissed her.

Evie rested her hands on his chest. When he deepened the kiss she wrapped her arms around his neck. Her tongue danced along with his. Neither one tried to dominate the kiss. She moaned when he fisted the back of her shirt as he pulled her closer. His other hand was in her hair. The way he held her made her feel completely safe.

Paul couldn't get enough of her. Her scent and taste was driving both him and the wolf crazy. She was pressed hard against but it wasn't close enough. Her silky hair caressed his fingers as he moved them through it. He needed to pull away before he did something stupid. Her arousal was hitting him hard and it was getting difficult to fight the urge to take her. He slowly and painfully pulled away from her. The little kisses he gave allowed them both to get some much needed air.

"What do I taste like?" he asked. His husky breath brushed across her face. She smile and inhaled deeply.

"Ocean and forest," she replied with one hand on his chest, feeling his heartbeat. The other was caressing his cheek. "I know most people will say they are scents but in order to smell a scent, you have to taste it too." She leaned against the railing and looked at him.

He placed his hands on the rail behind her. "I never thought of it that way," he said smiling. He rubbed his nose along her jaw and lightly brushed his lips against hers.

Evie sighed happily as he moved along her jaw. His warm breath felt good against her neck. He nibbled on her earlobe as she held his cheek. She turned until her lips were lightly touching his ear. "Thank you for being here," she whispered. He pulled away from her slowly. Leaving light kisses behind.

"I would do anything for you," he said cupping her face. "I lov-"

"Evie," someone yelled.

Paul turned to see a blonde girl running towards them. By the look on Evie's face, she wasn't happy. Honestly neither was he. This stupid girl ruined a perfect moment for them. He put his arm around Evie's waist. He sighed in frustration.

Evie rubbed Paul's chest. She knew he was upset. So was she, he was about to say I love you and Jenny Adams had to ruin it. She was a Southern Californian girl, with blonde hair, blue eyes and long legs. Evie didn't consider Jenny a good friend more of someone she goes to school with. Jenny liked to take other girls boyfriends. It was her specialty. What the hell did she want?

Jenny looked at the guy standing next to Evie. She slowly looked him up and down. Damn he looked good yesterday on the beach but up close he's gorgeous. "Hey, you looked good out there yesterday morning. Sucks that Dylan snagged that wave," she smiled at the tall dark stranger. Well he wouldn't be a stranger for long.

"Thanks," Evie replied. "I didn't see you out there." She didn't like the way Jenny kept eyeing Paul. She bit the inside of her mouth and took a deep breath. "Jenny this is my boyfriend Paul Lahote. Paul this is Jenny Adams. We go to the same school." She couldn't really call someone who liked to flirt and steal other girls' boyfriends her friend.

Paul could smell Jenny's arousal and the way she was eye fucking him as she bit her lip. He definitely wasn't interested. He slid his fingers into the waist of Evie's shorts and rubbed slow circles over her hip bone. "Hi, Jenny," he said not bothering to shake her outstretched hand.

Jenny dropped her hand to her side a bit disappointed. "Hi Paul," she smiled. "Well you moved on fast from Dylan." She laughed hoping to cause an argument and maybe a shoulder for Paul to lean on. "You don't waste time." She flipped her hair over her shoulder.

"Evie upgraded," Paul replied with a grin. He didn't like this bitch. He knew too many girls just like her, hell he fucked girls like her.

"Lucky girl," Jenny said licking her lips.

Evie watched Jenny flirt shamelessly with Paul. She wanted to punch her square in the face but that wouldn't solve anything but make her feel good. She was about to say something when Paul cut her off.

"Actually," Paul said as he moved his hand to rest on the top of Evie's ass. "I'm the lucky one." He knew Evie was pissed but he wasn't about to give this bitch the satisfaction of knowing it.

Evie ran her hand up Paul's chest. "I think we are both lucky," she said smiling. There was something in Paul's eyes that made her heart beat faster.

"Bye Jenny," Evie said as Paul guided her around Jenny.

"Wait," Jenny called out as she ran to cut them off. "There's a party at Dave's Friday. You guys should come." She twirled her hair and bit her lip.

"We'll think about," Evie replied. "See you later Jen." She was about to walk past her but stopped. "You might want to wipe the drool off your chin," she whispered. Paul laughed as they walked away.

"I wasn't going to say anything but the way she kept looking at you pissed me off," Evie said looking up at him.

"I didn't notice," he shrugged. She playfully punched him in the stomach. "Okay," he laughed. "You weren't jealous were you?" he asked rubbing her back.

She stopped walking and turned to face him. "No," she finally said. "I wasn't jealous but I definitely didn't like the way she kept looking at you as if you were the last piece of candy." She ran her hands up his chest and around his neck. "You're my candy and I definitely don't share." She bit the inside of her lip and smiled.

"Baby, you can't smile at me like that and expect me not to do anything," he groaned. He slid his hands to the small of her back and kissed her.

Their bodies were pressed tightly together. He loved the taste of her as he continued to explore her mouth. She loved the way his tongue moved over hers. His hands were spread across her back holding her close to him. The deeper the kiss continued, the more it ignited their need for one another. He gently bit her bottom lip before pulling away.

"If we don't stop," he said trying to catch his breath. They were touching foreheads. "We are going to end up under this pier." He ran his hand down her back.

She smiled. "I was thinking the same thing," she confessed. His warm breath brushed along her face.

"Come on let's go before we start something we can't finish," he muttered taking a deep breath.

He held her hand as they walked back to the house. The street lights were turning on as the traffic seemed to increase. There were people walking towards the many stores and bars along the beach. The music was blaring from the many cars crowding the street. Girls were walking around in their bikinis and the guys didn't have shirts on. At first he didn't like the guys checking Evie out but after a while he let it go. She was holding his hand and didn't pay any attention to those other guys.

He looked in one of the windows and noticed a cool watch. Normally he didn't wear one, but he wouldn't mind having one when they went out. Once he got a look at the price he walked away. It was a bit out of his price range. Evie was a few feet away looking at the clothes displayed in one of the windows. He smiled when she pulled his arm around her waist. The looks they were getting didn't seem to faze her. She smiled up at him as they left and continued to the house.

Evie opened the gate and pulled out her key. When she opened the door she smiled. The house smelled delicious. She could hear Valisa in the kitchen singing away. Paul through his arm over her shoulders as they walked into the kitchen. They stopped at the doorway. Valisa was singing and dancing away to a Smokey Robinson & The Miracles Shop Around as she chopped and stirred something on the stove.

"Does she do this all the time?" Paul whispered.

"Yes, it's the only way to cook sometimes," Evie whispered back smiling. "Let's go to the family room." She pulled him down the hallway.

"You're not going to help?" Paul questioned as they sat down. He gave her a quick kiss and took the remote out of her hand.

She laughed when he turned the TV on. "One thing to know about Auntie Valisa," she said putting her phone on the coffee table. "When she is singing to Smokey Robinson, do not bother her. Papa Marshall did something to upset her. It's best to leave her alone until she calms down." She leaned her head on his shoulder.

"I wonder what he did to upset her," Paul wondered out loud. Valisa reminds him of those grandmas' that are always happy, cooking and fussing over everyone. If this is her upset, he could only imagine what she looks like angry.

She grabbed her phone when it beeped. "It's a text from Beth," she said showing Paul. He took the phone and read the text.

"She and the guys are going to that party on Friday. Do you want to go?" he asked handing her back the phone.

"It's your birthday. We planned to celebrate your seventeenth birthday. Do you really want to hang out with people you don't know?" she asked with a shrug. The shocked look on his face made her smile.

"How did you know it was my birthday?" he asked tickling her. She laughed making him laugh.

"What…girlfriend…doesn't…know…her boyfriends…birthday?" she asked laughing. He hovered over her as she laughed. But he wasn't laughing anymore. He moved back allowing her to get up.

He looked into her eyes and felt his heart beat hard in his chest. No one ever cared about him enough to remember his birthday. The random girls he hooked up or the ones that had a crush on him never bothered to acknowledge it. Jared usually wished him a happy birthday, but he was an exception. They have been friends since he moved to La Push. His mom would make him a cake but after she left his father treated it like any other day.

"Hey what's wrong?" Evie asked concerned. Paul was looking at her but he it seemed like he was somewhere else. She ran her hand over his cheek.

Paul grabbed her hands and looked down at their intertwined fingers. Her hands were so small compared to his. He gave her fingers a gentle squeeze. This was definitely new for him. He never knew a family could be so caring and supportive until he watched Evie's family. He's seen other family interact but never really gave it much thought until now.

"I haven't celebrated my birthday since I was eight. After my mom left, the old man acted like I didn't exist," he finally replied looking at her.

She could see the hurt in his eyes. The thought of no one caring about him hurt and angered her at the same time. Every kid deserves to feel special on their birthday. She was lucky to have people in her life that loved her but it also made her feel bad that he didn't have any of this.

"I know we had different upbringings," she said cupping his face. "And I may not be able to change the past but I can definitely change the future." His hands were wrapped around her wrists. "I've never pressured you tell me about your past and I still won't. I only want to make the present and future great memories for both of us." She kissed his forehead.

"I bet you say that to all the guys," Paul whispered. He smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. He wanted Evie but the scared little boy in the back of his mind knew he would fuck it up and drive her away.

"Have you ever felt for anyone the way you feel about me? Because I haven't," she said taking his hands into hers. "As hard as I tried to fight what I felt for you, I couldn't. Even when it felt like neither one of us wanted anything to do with the other one minute and then the next minute we were all over each other." She was looking into his eyes and could see she was right.

"I've never had a girlfriend. I've had fuck buddies but that's it," he said looking at their joined hands. "Your right, I tried like hell to fight this," he gestured between them. "The last thing I wanted was to feel tied down to someone but it hurt when I was near you. It drove me crazy not being able to see you." He cupped her cheek. "I love you and that is something I have never told anyone before." He rubbed his thumb over her cheek.

"I love you too and I've never said that to anyone either," she smiled as tears blurred her vision.

Paul took a deep breath and smiled as he wiped the tears that fell down Evie's face. "I'm going to try and be honest with you always. But I can guarantee that you may not like everything I have to say. I am possessive, over protective and a jealous son of a bitch," he kissed her forehead. He could hear Valisa still in the kitchen and Derek was on the phone as Kathy slept.

"What do you mean about being honest?" she asked scooting closer to him. "I know you're possessive." She felt her cheeks get hot. "That last night we were together pretty much showed that side of you." He laughed at how red her cheeks were. It made him hard just being close to her. "The jealousy and over protective side are border line cousins."

"I will tell you the truth but if I keep something from you it's only because I don't want to see you unhappy or hurt," he said shrugging his shoulders. He knew the imprint would never allow him to lie or keep things from her but she didn't know that, yet.

"We'll see how long that last," she smirked leaning back on the couch.

He leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers. "So you love me huh," he whispered. He bit her bottom lip and smiled.

"I believe you said it first," she whispered as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "But I could be wrong. I think you need to say it again to refresh my memory." She giggled when he rolled his eyes.

He grabbed her around the waist and placed her on his lap. She bit her lip when he cupped her cheek. "I love you Evie. I have never felt this way about anyone," he smirked when there was a hitch in her breath. "I don't want to go a day without you in my life." He wiped a tear from her cheek. "I know most people think teenagers outgrow each other but I know for a fact, I will never want anyone but you. I know you feel the same way." He gently kissed her as he wrapped his arms around her.

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><p>Evie tip toed into Paul's room and placed his present on the dresser. She carefully climbed on the bed. She was about to pounce on him but he turned and flipped her over landing on top of her.<p>

"Did you really think you could seek up on me?" he laughed as he pinned her arms over her head. She licked her lips as she looked over his bare chest.

"Can't blame a girl for trying," she laughed. When he looked her up and down, she could feel herself blush as a delicious shiver ran down her spine. "Happy Birthday!" she said excited.

"Thank you," he said. "In this position there are so many things I could do to you," he whispered as he moved his nose along her jawline. Fuck, she smelled good. He could smell how ready she was for him.

"Unfortunately we aren't alone," she grumbled. "Don't you what to open your present?" She gasped when he bit her nipple through her tank top.

"I'm trying but these damn clothes are in the way," he laughed.

"Not me smart ass," she laughed. He let go of her arms. "You look really good without a shirt." She moved her hands over his chest.

"I look fucking amazing with nothing on," he said before kissing her neck.

She moved her head to the side to give him better access. "I agree," she moaned as she ran her nails down his back. "But I look incredible naked," she whispered in his ear. He groaned as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Babe," he rolled them until they were lying on their sides. "That's not fair to tease me on my birthday." He moved her hair away from her face.

"If you play your cards right, you might get to unwrap me later," she gave him a quick kiss and rolled off the bed before he could grab her. She walked over to the dresser and picked up his gift.

"I love the way your hips sway when you walk," he licked his lips as she sat on the bed.

"Really," she smiled. "Interesting…okay open one of your gifts." She handed him the white gift box and he sat up.

"One of how many," Paul looked at her confused. He shook the square white box.

"I hope you like it," she said biting her lip.

He pulled the blue bow off the top of the box and opened it. He quickly discarded the tissue paper. There were two t-shirts neatly folded. One had the word BOSS written across the chest making him smirk. The next one was a navy color collar polo shirt. There were two pairs of jean shorts under more tissue paper.

"Thank you," he said before giving her a quick kiss. "Now you know I'm the boss." He held up the shirt. He looked down and noticed a small black box sitting at the bottom of the box. "What's this?" he asked holding up the black box.

"Open it and find out," she laughed. There was tissue paper all over the bed. She picked it up and stuffed it into the box.

He slowly opened the box and was completely shocked. The watch he was looking at a few days ago was sitting in his hand. He looked at Evie and she laughed. No one ever paid attention to the little things. But Evie certainly did.

"I take it by the stunned look on your face you like it," she clapped. He took the watch out of the box before shaking his head.

"Babe, it's too expensive," he complained. She glared at him with her hands on her hips. "Don't look at me like that." He frowned knowing he upset her.

"If I wanted a watch like that, would you buy it for me?" she asked trying not to lose her temper. She placed her hands in her lap.

"Of course, I would do anything to make you happy," he scoffed knowing he just stuck his foot in his big mouth.

"In a relationship," she took the watch from him. "You do things because you love the other person and you want to see them happy." She fastened the watch and tapped his nose. "I want to buy you things for your birthday, holidays and basically whenever I see something I think you might like," she crawled across the bed and straddled him.

"Babe, I'm not used to this," he shook his wrist in front of her.

"You explained the other night how possessive and jealous you can be," she began. "Well I want you to know how I can be sometimes." She kissed his cheek. "I'm stubborn, which means we will probably argue." She leaned forward until her lips brushed his ear. "But I hear makeup sex is amazing," she whispered.

He groaned as he rested his head on her shoulder. "When can we have our first argument?" he asked lifting his head up. "Or we could have angry sex. That would be hot," he smiled.

"I'll keep that in mind," she said tapping his chin. "I know you're not used to someone caring about you and showing you affection without wanting something in return. But that's what loving someone and being in a relationship is about." She caressed his cheek. "I love you Paul Lahote and all I want is to see you happy." She kissed him before hugging him.

"I love you too," he whispered as he held her tightly against him. "Please be patient with me. I know I have a lot to learn and I don't want to fuck this up." She laughed and squeezed him tightly. "I smell food." He pulled away sniffed towards the hallway.

"Auntie is making you a birthday breakfast," Evie confessed. He made a face but she quickly shook his shoulders. "Hey, this is what families do." She climbed off his lap but he pulled her back.

"What else do they have planned?" he asked laughing.

"Presents," she whispered. He kissed her neck and sighed.

"Okay, let's go before they coming looking for us," he squeezed her ass before getting up. He held her in his arms. "Thank you for the watch." She pulled his face down and kissed him. He put her down without breaking the kiss.

She ran her hand down his chest and abs. He kissed along her jawline and bit her earlobe. She played with the waist of pajamas and smirked when he growled.

"Don't start something if you can't finish it," he whispered in her ear. She sighed and turned around in his arms. "That's what I thought." He kissed her neck.

"You need a shirt," she moaned. He let go of her and put a shirt on. She smiled when he wrapped his arms around her and continued to kiss her neck. "Now who's starting something they can't finish," she giggled. They walked out of the room laughing.

"I set everything up outside," Valisa called out when she walked pass them.

"Thanks Valisa," Paul answered. He followed Evie outside. Kathy and Derek were already sitting down. There were presents piled on one of the chairs.

"Happy Birthday," Derek called out. He stood up and shook Paul's hand. "How does it feel to turn seventeen?" he asked sitting back down.

"Thanks. It doesn't feel that different," Paul answered smiling. "How are you feeling Mrs. Smith?" he took a seat next to Evie.

"Call me…Kathy…please," Kathy answered with a smile. Paul returned her smile. She couldn't get over how much he looked like his father. "Hanging…in there." She let Derek put her mask on.

"Good morning birthday boy," Valisa said as she put a platter of waffles on the table. She gave Paul a kiss on the cheek.

Evie tried not to laugh at the surprised look on his face. "Everything looks great Auntie," she gave Valisa a kiss when she took a seat next to her.

"Anything for the birthday boy," Valisa placed her napkin on her lap. She winked at Paul.

"Thanks for the breakfast," Paul said as he placed four waffles on his plate. "But you didn't have to go through all this trouble." He grabbed Evie's hand.

"Sugar your family," Valisa replied putting her coffee down. She noticed him tense up as he clenched his jaw. Poor baby, even the simplest things make him uncomfortable.

"I want…eggs benedict…for my…birthday," Kathy said. Everyone got quiet. Derek looked away. Evie bit her bottom lip while Valisa moved her coffee cup between her hands.

"Eggs benedict," Paul made a face. "I don't think I have ever tried that." He gave Evie's hand a quick squeeze.

"Evie…makes the best…eggs benedict," Kathy smiled before laying her head on Derek's shoulder.

"I am one lucky guy," Paul grinned when he looked at Evie. "Not only is my girl beautiful and smart but she can cook." He looked at Kathy and winked. "I think I'll keep her." Kathy smiled.

"Mom, these waffles are great," Derek said taking a bite.

Everyone seemed to take one big breath and relax. They explained to Paul their traditional birthday breakfasts as well as the birthday dinner. Evie and Valisa took turns cooking either one. They also told him why Derek is banned from cooking.

Paul was laughing so hard he almost choked. Evie patted him on the back as she laughed. Valisa handed him a glass of water. Derek ignored them and tried not to laugh. He readjusted Kathy's mask and oxygen tank.

"It wasn't my fault," Derek grumbled. He turned to face them but all it did was make them laugh harder.

"How did you burn a tuna fish sandwich?" Paul asked still laughing.

"I wanted a tuna melt," Derek began to explain. "How was I supposed to know it would get stuck in the toaster?" He glared at Valisa when she wiped a tear away. "You told me it was okay to toast it." He took a drink of his coffee.

"I did say that but I said the toaster oven not the toaster," Valisa pointed out.

"Any kid could make that mistake," Paul said in Derek's defense. He tried to hide his smile.

"Babe, this happen last year," Evie replied trying not to laugh.

"Sorry Derek," Paul chuckled as he leaned back and stretched.

"I think it's time for some presents," Derek playfully pushed Paul's shoulder. He picked up two of the wrapped presents and gave them to Paul. "These are from me and Kathy." He sat back down.

Paul felt a little uncomfortable. This was all new to him. He unwrapped the present and opened the rectangle box. Inside were three pairs of jean shorts. He smiled knowing they would actually come in good use. On the bottom of the box were three plain shirts.

"Thank you both," he smiled. "I will definitely wear them." He grabbed the other box and opened it. "Are you serious?" he laughed. It was an Xbox with a few games. "Thank you." He looked over each game, smiling the entire time.

"I figured after our late night gaming, you would like to have your own," Derek answered. He watched Paul look over the games and show them to Evie. Kathy shivered and he wrapped his arm around her. "Are you okay baby? Do you need another blanket?" He felt her cheeks and forehead.

"Wait…until Paul…finishes," she whispered. It was important to stay and support Paul. He suffered such a hard childhood from the bits and piece she got from Evie. It would be wrong to leave.

"Here you go sugar," Valisa handed him a huge box. "It's from me and Marshall." Paul raised his eyebrow. "I know you haven't met Marshall but he knows all about you." She winked.

"I don't know if that's a good thing or not," Paul said a little worried. Evie bumped his shoulder and rolled her eyes. He knew these were the people she loved and respected. Most of the time he didn't give a fuck what people thought of him but for Evie he did care.

The doorbell rang and everyone immediately got up.

"Everyone please, sit down," Valisa gestured for them to sit. "I'll get the door. I already know what Paul got," she called over her shoulder.

Paul shrugged and opened the box. There was dark denim jacket with fleece lining and heavy steel toe work boots. He pulled the jacket out of the box and ran his hand down the lining. It was soft to the touch.

"It will definitely keep you warm during the winter," Evie stated as she felt the lining. "I'm jealous." She looked around. "I might have to borrow your jacket babe." She tried to pull the jacket towards her but Paul pulled it away.

"I don't think so," he said laughing. He gently flicked her pouting lip.

"Dad," Derek said shocked. He stood up slowly helping Kathy lean back in her chair.

Paul turned to see a six foot man with thinning hair walk through the patio door. Marshall Smith looked like a doctor with his silver framed glasses. He looked like he kept in shape. The smile on his face got bigger when he looked at Kathy and Derek. He had his arm around Valisa's waist.

"He was scratching at the door," Valisa stated smiling. "He looked too cute to leave outside." She kissed his cheek.

"I am down right adorable," Marshall said. "But I will also accept cute." His deep voice bounced off the wall.

Derek hugged his dad. "It's good to have you back. Mom was going crazy without you," he said as he clapped his dad's back.

"Good to be back son," Marshall clapped his son's back. He pulled away from Derek and really looked at him. He could see the dark circles under his eyes. "You need to get some rest son." He squeezed Derek's shoulder.

"I will," Derek whispered. He wiped his eye and turned towards Kathy.

"There's my girl," Marshall said as he clapped his hands together. He sat next to her and took her hand. "You were right about Central Park and next time I am taking my sidekick with me." He kissed her forehead.

"Brace yourself," Evie whispered to Paul. She grabbed his hand under the table.

"Hello beautiful," Marshall said turning to face Evie. "I see you dumped the zero and got with a hero." Evie, Valisa and Derek groaned.

"Really Marshall," Valisa said as she took a seat.

"Dad," Derek protested with a shake of his head.

"Papa," Evie whined. "That was almost as bad as your attempt to body surf." She leaned her head on Paul's shoulder. "Papa Marshall, this is my boyfriend Paul Lahote." She gestured between them. "Papa is all bark and no bite. He may look like a snarling pit bull but underneath he is a giant teddy bear." She winked at Marshall.

Paul leaned across the table and held out his hand. "Nice to meet you sir," he said shaking Marshall's hand. "I've heard nothing but great things about you." He leaned back and put his arm around Evie's shoulders.

"Nice to meet you too," Marshall said looking at Paul. "I've heard good things about you too. I must say I am quite impressed with the way you handled that little turd Dylan. Of course I wouldn't have minded if you knocked a couple of his teeth out." He chuckled at the thought of a toothless Dylan.

"Marshall," Valisa scolded. She didn't want Marshall giving Paul any ideas.

"Maybe next time sir," Paul offered. He wouldn't mind hurting that fucking idiot but he knew Sam would kill him. Or at least try and kill him.

"Violence doesn't solve anything," Valisa stated giving Marshall and Paul a stern look.

"Yes it does," Marshall, Derek and Paul said in unison.

"Men," Valisa muttered throwing her hands in the air.

For the first time he felt like he had a family. He watched as they continued to interact with one another. They included him in the conversation, not once making it feel like it forced. It was natural and easy.

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><p>Derek pulled the covers up for Kathy as she leaned back in her bed. He could see how tired she was becoming from the simplest things. He moved her hair back and caressed her cheek. She was still beautiful and amazing.<p>

Paul put the oxygen tank down and untangled the lines the way Derek showed him. He headed towards the door to give them some privacy. Not to mention Marshall wanted to talk to him. He was actually a cool guy.

"Paul," Kathy said. She knew it was time to talk to him. There was no more putting it off till later. She looked at Derek and squeezed his hand. He knew she wanted to talk to Paul. Of course he didn't know the real reason. "I wanted…to talk…to you." Derek gestured for him to take a seat.

"I'll give you both some privacy," Derek patted Paul's back as he passed him.

Paul took a seat. He wanted to talk to her about his dad but he didn't want to push the issue. Maybe she wanted to talk about his dad. He took her outstretched hand. She was cold and he was more than happy to help give her some warmth.

"I'm sure Evie…told…you about…your dad and me," Kathy began. Paul nodded. "When we…were younger he…was different…kind…loving…but drugs and…alcohol…changed him." She had tears in her eyes.

"He became abusive with my mom," Paul confessed. He felt her tremble as tears flowed down her cheeks freely. "After she left, he turned his abuse on me." He scooted closer when she began to sob harder.

"I'm…sorry," she choked out.

Paul reached over to the side table and grabbed a bunch of tissue. He handed some to her and took a few to wipe her tears away. "It wasn't your fault. He could have gotten help instead of taking it out on us," he whispered.

She leaned back and tried to take steady breaths but it was difficult. The mask slipped out of her hand. Paul picked up the mask and placed it over her nose and mouth. She was finally able to breathe. After a few minutes of breathing with the mask and wiping her eyes, she was finally able to talk.

"I tried…to help him…it was too late," she sighed heavily. "For that…I am sorry." She held his hand.

"He wasn't your responsibility," he said. Evie was so much like her mother, always taking responsibility for other people's actions. He smiled. "But thank you."

"There's one…thing I…to talk about," she squeezed his hand and pointed to the nightstand. He raised his eyebrow at her but reached over to the nightstand. "The book…on the left." He grabbed the book and handed it to her. She turned it so he could see it when she opened it.

He looked over the writing and realized they were the legends of his people. She turned the page showing him drawings of wolves and cold ones. He took the book off her lap and thumbed through it. Every story that pertained to his tribe was in this book. He looked at her amazed that she would have something like this. The illustrations were well detailed.

"Where did you get this?" Paul asked looking over the cover. The pattern of the packs tattoo was embedded into the cover.

"When I…was little…Billy and Charlie…heard…stories of…Quileute spirit warriors," she pointed to the book. "Also…cold ones…Taha Aki…the third wife…the treaty with cold ones…imprinting." She placed the mask over her face and took steady even breaths.

Paul took a deep breath as he let everything Kathy said sink in. Even though she knew the stories, she didn't know they were true. But why show him this book and let him know she knew the stories. No one knew about imprinting until it happen to Sam and Jared.

Kathy tapped the book and Paul immediately placed it on her lap. She turned the page to shape shifting. She pointed at him and then at the book. He looked at the page and rubbed the back of his neck. It was all there for anyone to see. The signs to look for when someone is about to phase, it even gave details on the pain and process of phasing. He looked up to see Kathy watching him.

She patted her lap and he placed the book there. He watched as she turned the pages and then tapped on a page. He pulled the book towards him. It explained imprinting and how rare it happens. He knew that was a lie. _The true Alpha will never imprint. His loyalties must be to the tribe and pack when both exist._ As he read a small smile appeared on his face. The way it explained the imprint was all there but his feelings for Evie were much stronger than what the book described. They were stronger than Sam and Jared's for their imprints. He should know, he's seen in both their heads.

"I studied…history…the Quileute and…stories in the book," she began to explain. "The moment my daughter…mentioned Edward Cullen…I knew…the possibility…of many…phasing or shape shifting." She held the mask to her face as she watched Paul react to what she said.

He smiled and shook his head. "I think it's great you have my tribe's stories written down. I am sure Billy and the rest of the council will appreciate it," he touched the book knowing he had to lie. There was no way the council would let him explain all this to an outsider. Of course Evie would know but she can't tell anyone. "But I don't know what you mean about phasing or shape shifting." He shrugged his shoulders as he kept eye contact with her. He had to make sure she believed him. The smile that appeared on her face was unexpected.

"Paul, I know," she said patting his hand. "The heat from you…the way Evie…and you react…to one another." She took a few breaths from the oxygen mask. "I know everything." She reached under her pillow and pulled out an old torn journal. "Evie hasn't seen this." She gave him the journal.

Paul carefully opened the journal. It belonged to Elizabeth Bentley Swan. He looked through the pages and stopped when he saw the name Ephraim Black. He looked at Kathy and she nodded. He turned the journal in his hands. The inside cover had a faint drawing of the packs tattoo. He opened the journal and began to read.

_Ephraim has disappeared and no one will tell me where he has gone. I miss my friend even more than usual. Adam has asked me to marry him but I can't marry him without my best friend being there to support me. Martha is also worried. We are going to try to find Ephraim without the help of his family. My heart breaks for Martha._

Paul skipped ahead a few pages.

_I don't know what to do. Ephraim is a mess and doesn't know how to tell Martha. The heavenly spirits have fated us to doom. How can they know who we should love better than us? I love Ephraim but it does not compare to the love I have for Adam and I know Ephraim loves Martha._

"Ephraim imprinted…on my Great-Grandmother… He told her…everything," Kathy stated. "She refused…the imprint. I think…it explains…why Evie…didn't feel…the imprint." She smiled when Paul finally nodded as he took a deep breath. She held his hand. He may look like a man but at this moment he was a scared little boy looking for help.

"I don't know how to tell her," he finally confessed. "Everyone I have ever loved has left me. I don't think I could take it she turned her back on me too." He held her hand in both of his.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for the reviews. I really appreciate them. Thanks for following the story and marking it as one of your favorites. I hope your enjoying the story.<strong>

**Thanks,**

**india8**


	12. Chapter 12

***I don't own any of the characters from Twilight. They belong to Stephenie Meyer. I only own the original characters in this story.**

***A/N Sorry for not updating sooner. Real Life has a way of interfering. Read and enjoy!**

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><p>Chapter 12<p>

Evie turned the car down Dave Ayala's street. The party was definitely in full swing. She could hear the music and see the strobe lights coming from the backyard. There wasn't a single spot to park on Dave's street. She turned on the next street and found a space. She parked the car and turned it off. She noticed Paul was still tapping his fingers against his leg. He looked really good in a pair of dark gray cargo shorts and black tank top undershirt. His shoulders and arms looked so good.

"Are you sure you want to go to this thing?" she asked grabbing her phone from the compartment under the radio.

"Yeah, sure," he answered still tapping his fingers.

"These parties usually get pretty wild," she said looking at him. She waved her hand to get his attention but he didn't respond. "Do you mind if I sleep with a couple of the football players? I might as well give them a chance since I'm a lesbian." She watched his face for some kind of reaction.

"What? Umm sure anything you want babe," he leaned towards her to give her a kiss but she pulled away. "What's wrong?" he asked.

She shook her head. "You have no idea what I just said," she scoffed tapping her fingers on the steering wheel.

"Yes, I do," he smiled. He leaned back in his seat.

"Really," she smirked. "What did I say?" She raised an eyebrow and looked him up and down.

Fuck, what the hell did she say? He gave her his panty drop smile and caressed her check. "You want to find a nice dark corner and have our own party," he said leaning over and giving her a kiss.

She nibbled on his bottom lip before pulling away. "That sounds like fun, but your wrong," she tapped his nose. "I asked if it would be okay if I slept with a few of the football players since I'm a lesbian." She watched as he moved away and gave her a dark look. "Don't look at me that way. I was joking but I did prove a point. You weren't pay attention." She took his hand in hers. He tried to pull away but she wouldn't let him.

"That's not funny Evie," he snapped. Anger coursed through him and the wolf was ready to claw his way out. He took several deep breaths to calm down.

She felt bad for making him mad. When he started to slightly shake, she ran her hand down his arm. "Hey, relax," she said calmly. He closed his eyes and clenched his jaw shut. She could have sworn his eyes had a yellow ring around the iris. But it was probably the reflection of the streetlights.

He relaxed under her touch. The wolf calmed down faster than the man. He took another deep breath and let her scent calm him. Jealous son of bitch, he may never outgrow that part even with the imprint. But it wasn't just the jealous part it was also the unknown on how Evie would take the truth.

Kathy was right; he needed to tell Evie before it was too late. She would be hurt if someone other than him told her. The thought of a five foot three inch tiny girl breaking a six foot three inch shape shifter was something he never thought could happen. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes.

Evie caressed his cheek. "You did warn me about the jealous s.o.b. but I didn't think joking would bring that side out," she smiled and rubbed his chest.

"No, I'm sorry," he said. Their foreheads touched as he took her hands in his. "Sometimes I can't believe you're actually mine." He moved back to look at her. "In the back of my mind, I think you're going to leave me."

She could see it in his eyes. He really believed she would leave him. She leaned forward and gently kissed his soft lips. When she moved back her heart felt like it would burst with the love she had for him. "I love you so much," she responded. "We have something most people dream of having," she said placing her hand over his heart. "The love we have is forever." She took his hand and placed it over her heart.

Her heartbeat did something to him that he couldn't explain. When he looked up, she smiled and bit her bottom lip. He concentrated on her heartbeat and smiled. It was like an instant connection to her. It was almost like their hearts were beating as one.

"Thank you for being patient with me," he said kissing her forehead.

Evie groaned when her phone buzzed. She quickly checked her texts and sighed. "Jerry and Enzo are waiting for you," she shook her head. "You guys really hit it off." She put her phone in her back pocket.

"They're cool guys," Paul said with a shrug as he opened the door. She got out and locked the car. He held out his hand and she tossed him the keys. He pulled her into a hug. "I love you." He leaned back to look at her. "So what do I need to know about this party?" He took her hand as they walked.

"It's the normal teen party. But Dave always has a theme. This one is colors. Dave is a good guy, I told you about him. But stay away from the red container, not sure what's in it but most people end up on their ass," she explained as they walked.

"What the hell is a color party?" he asked making a face. He was definitely trying the red container.

Evie laughed. "You'll see. It's pretty interesting, but don't even think of getting any ideas mister." She crossed the street but stopped. "Why did you let go of my hand?"

Paul looked her up and down. Fuck she looked good. Her wavy chestnut hair reached the middle of her back. The shorts she was wearing showed off her tan legs and plump little ass. He was itching to roll down the black strapless top and play with her full breasts. He groaned when she smirked at him and placed her hands on her hips.

"You know I love watching you walk," he took a few steps. "Those hips," he clenched his teeth as he placed his hands on her hips. "I miss being buried deep inside you." He kissed her shoulder and slowly moved up her neck. She tasted like heaven and sex.

She didn't move. His lips felt so good on her skin. She moaned when he scraped his teeth along her skin. She could feel his tone chiseled chest through his tank. Her body ached for him. His bare shoulders felt amazing as she moved her hands over them.

"Paul, Evie," Jerry shouted as he jogged over to them. He stopped short when he realized he interrupted.

Paul growled in frustration. Evie growled with him. "If I didn't love him, I'd let you hurt him," she muttered angrily.

Paul pulled her into a hug as he chuckled. "We are definitely finding a dark corner," he whispered in her ear. He smiled when she shivered. "Hey Jerry," Paul called out as they turned.

"Good," Evie said as she grabbed his ass. "Hey Jerry," she smiled, "sounds like the party is in full swing." She kissed his cheek before he shook Paul's hand.

"Pretty much," Jerry smiled. "They refilled the red container twice, a lot of half-naked girls." He nodded with a huge smile on his face. But then he looked at her with a stern look. "Stay away from the red container," he scolded shaking his finger at her.

She grabbed his finger. "You know I don't drink," she shook her head as she let his finger go. "Besides I'm DD tonight." She wrapped her arm around Paul's waist. He raised his eyebrows. "Designated driver, DD," she said.

"So is Beth," Jerry replied. He lightly punched Paul in the chest. "Looks like the boys are drinking tonight." He gestured for them to follow him. "The douche and his bitch are already here. Tank, Toby and Rex are keeping an eye on his little shit talkers." He stopped and looked at Paul. "You remember my boys; they were at the coffee shop a few times."

Paul nodded. "Yeah, they're funny guys. But are you guys expecting trouble," he asked tightening his hold on Evie. "My girl is first priority and there is no way I want that bullshit near her." He looked at Jerry for a moment before looking at Evie.

"Not really," Jerry shrugged, "nothing bad but you know how guys can be." He smirked. "Idiot ex rejected plus unlimited alcohol equals one interesting night." He laughed as they entered the house.

There were people crowding the stairs while the living room was packed with people talking and drinking. They moved their way through the hall and passed the kitchen. There were three kegs sitting in huge tubs of ice. Jerry raised his hand and a girl wearing a bikini top handed him two cups of beer. He gave one to Paul and they touched cups before taking a drink. Evie noticed the girls following Paul with their eyes.

They headed towards the backyard were the music was coming from. There were people dancing while others were in the pool and Jacuzzi. She shook her head when she realized what Jerry said about half naked girls. Most of the girls were in their bras and panties or bikinis. Outside was worse as the girls stared in their direction. Some pointed while others waved. She lightly hit Paul in the stomach when she noticed his panty drop smile.

"What?" he asked innocently. He took another drink of his beer. Being a wolf had its advantages and disadvantages. The speed, strength and ability to heal fast were definitely a plus but it also meant he couldn't get drunk.

"That's my smile," she scoffed as she got on her tippy toes and kissed him.

"Paul," Jenny shouted when she saw her new eye candy.

They turned to see Jenny walking towards them in a red bikini holding a blue cup. Jerry took a drink as he gawked at her. Who could blame him, Jenny was beautiful unless you know her. Her beauty can only hold your interest for so long. Her true nature always ruined everything.

"Crap," Evie said irritated. She wanted to hit Jenny. It appears Paul isn't the only one who gets jealous.

Paul pulled Evie close and kept his arm locked around her waist. He could sense her jealousy, it actually turned him on. It boosted his ego to know Evie was staking her claim.

"Oh hey Evie, I didn't see you," Jenny mumbled. "Wow Paul, you look really good." She went to touch his arm but out of nowhere Evie slapped her hand away. "What the hell Evie?" she yelled cradling her hand.

"There was a bug," Evie stated rubbing Paul's arm. She felt his hot breath on her neck as he chuckled.

"Jealous," he teased as he kissed her shoulder. She tensed up and slightly pulled away but he held her firmly in place.

Evie wanted to hit him but he was right she was jealous. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. This feeling made her anxious and she hated feeling this way.

"Did you know all the easy ones are wearing red?" Tank asked. He slapped Jerry on the back. Tank was a little over six feet tall with red hair and blue eyes. Very few freckles graced his pretty boy face. He was lean but toned for a basketball player. He shook Paul's hand and pinched Evie's cheek.

"Fuck you Tank," Jenny snapped as she gave him the finger. He waved her towards him with a big grin on his face.

"Like fish in a barrel bro," Rex chimed in. He stood next to Paul. "Dude, you're lucky. You have the hottest chick here." He bumped Paul's shoulder and laughed. He gave Evie a kiss on the cheek. Rex was Tank's younger brother. He looked a lot like Tank but his hazel eyes stood out.

Enzo and Beth were standing between Jerry and Rex. Beth tapped Evie's arm. The two girls looked at each and smiled. They knew the guys would show no mercy to Jenny, especially for what she did to Toby. Enzo motioned with his head when Jerry looked at him. Dylan and his friends were making their way over to their group.

"The good ones are always taken," Toby scoffed. "First Beth now Evie," he looked over at them and winked, "it completely sucks." He looked Jenny up and down. "Speaking of sucking, hey Jenny,'' he said blowing her a kiss. Toby's jet black hair complimented his dark skin but not as well as his dark blue eyes did. He was the same height as Tank but a little more muscle. Being the schools running back kept him in shape.

Paul didn't react to the guys showing Evie affection. The day after he arrived he met all of them. His first instinct was to slam each of them into the wall but he knew Evie wouldn't appreciate it. After spending an hour with them and hearing all their childhood stories, he knew they all thought of Evie as a kid sister. None of them looked at her the way Jacob looked at Bella or vice versa. That was a good thing, for them.

Jenny had one hand on her hip and was scowling at the guys. "If it isn't the three loser stooges," she spit out each word with irritation. "What brings you three here? Tired of whacking each other off?" she asked annoyed. Dylan, Mike, Ted and Allen were standing behind Jenny giving the guys dirty looks.

"Your mother couldn't handle the three of us fucking every hole," Toby retorted loudly. "She's not in the same league as you, World Champion." He stared at her with just as much anger as her death glare shot at him.

"Damn, that's some cold shit," Paul said as he let out a low whistle.

"It's well deserved," Tank responded. He ignored the small crowd gathering around them. "I'll tell you the story later." He laughed when Jenny threw her empty cup at him.

Paul was watching the guys behind Jenny. He wanted to knock that fucking smirk off Dylan's face. He moved Evie behind him. If those idiots came any closer, he didn't want her getting hurt.

"Fella's," Dave shouted with a big smile on his face. The crowd parted to allow him to get through. It really didn't matter too much. Being six three and all muscle, people usually moved out of his way. "I'm glad you fuckers decided to grace us with your presence." He laughed as he bumped fist with the guys. "Beth," he said giving her a kiss on the cheek, "always a pleasure."

Jenny rolled her eyes as Dave gave Beth a hug and acted like she was the hottest girl in the place. She was getting tired of his shit, always acting holier than thou.

"I came to see what the trouble was," Dave began as he turned to face Jenny as he through his arms up in the air with a shake his head. "Where there's trouble, Jenny is not far behind." He ignored the glares from her little group of friends. "Of course you fuckers are right there sniffing her behind." The small crowd that was around them laughed.

"Fuck you Dave," Jenny snapped as she glared at him.

"You're my cousin," he said with disgusted look on his face. "That would be incest." He turned to Paul and smirked. Paul hand his arms crossed over his chest. "You must be Paul Lahote. The guys told me all about you. It's nice to finally meet you," he said sticking out his fist.

"Nice to meet you too," Paul bumped his fist with Dave's. "Evie had nothing but nice things to say about you." He felt Evie's hand on the small of his back.

"Well mi casa es tu casa," he stated with a small bow.

Evie moved next to Paul putting her arm around his waist and smiled. Dave Ayala was always cool and collective. With his perfect light brown hair, that never looked out of place and honey dew colored eyes, had all the girls falling over themselves just to get noticed by him.

"Dave, I didn't know you were back until Jenny said you were having a party," Evie gave him a kiss on the cheek. Paul put his around her waist and held her close to him. She looked at Paul and mouthed 'Jealous'. He gave her look before rolling his eyes at her.

"Yeah Puerto Rico was a blast," he said looking at the guys. "We definitely need to go. The women there are…I can't even begin to describe them. I'm thinking Spring Break." He brushed Jenny's hand off his shoulder.

"Ladies," Toby shouted. "Now that the best looking bastards-." He ran his hand down his chest as girls screamed.

"You fortunately get to attend school with-," Rex shouted turning around and shaking his ass to a cheering crowd of girls.

Tank picked up where Rex left off and shouted, "And admire on a day to day basis-." He flexed his muscles making the girls holler their approval.

"Have finally arrived for all your lustful, naughty and our personal favorite," Jerry shouted as he showed them his abs. The girls yelled for him to take it off.

"Dirty fantasies," Dave shouted. "As you can tell, we are all wearing different color shirts. Please go to your designated fantasy and let the fun began." He smiled at the small crowd of girls that were lining up before him. Some were chanting 'dark blue'.

A few girls were standing in front of Paul. "Sorry ladies but he only has one designated fantasy," Evie said pointing to herself. "I'm sure Rex would be more than willing to add you to his list." She shooed them away and laughed when she noticed their looks of disappointment.

"Babe," Paul scoffed playfully. "Poor Rex, he has more than he can handle. I would have made the sacrifice and helped out a friend." He laughed when she gut checked him. She was shaking her hand. "Sorry Rex," Paul shouted. "Evie said you are on your own." He took her hand to check it.

"It's okay bro," Rex yelled. "There's always next time." He laughed when Evie shot him a dirty look.

"Shut up Rex," Evie said as Paul looked at her hand. "Are your abs made of steel?" she asked lifting his shirt up to see.

"No," he said kissing her hand. "I'm just well-toned and solid." He flexed making her laugh. "So this is a color party. I have to tell Embry and Quil. They could have a lot of fun throwing something like this." He through his arm over her shoulders and walked in the house.

"This is their version of a friendly competition," she remarked. There were plenty of finger foods and she laughed when Paul piled up two plates. "Hungry babe?" she asked.

"Yeah," he answered as he stuffed another chicken strip in his mouth. "I'm starving." He popped another strip in his mouth. A few girls were standing by watching him eat.

The music wasn't as loud in the house. Rex, Toby and Tank were a few feet away arguing over a piece of paper. They were laughing and shouting at the same time. Evie knew it was a matter of minutes before they would ask her or Beth to referee.

"We ate two hours ago," she said laughing. He motioned for something to drink. She grabbed two bottles of water and handed him one. She took a drink.

He finished the water in two drinks. "I have a fast metabolism," he replied. "Hand me another bottle please." She turned to grab a bottle when he took the one she had in her hand.

"Thief," she said pulling out her phone. He shrugged as he drank. "Looks like you have a fan club forming." She pointed to her left.

He looked and rolled his eyes as he finished his water. "Not interested ladies," he announced as he looked in their direction. He looked over Evie's shoulder as he ate. The food wasn't bad.

"Derek sent a text," she frowned. "He knows me so well." She texted him back.

"He's right you know," he kissed her forehead. "It's okay to go out once in a while. Your mom is fine at the moment." He took her phone away and kissed her. She tried to pull away but he had a firm hold on her.

Evie relaxed in his arms and returned the kiss. Her hands were under his shirt feeling the contours of his abs. She smirked when she felt the rumble in his chest. The deep growl that escaped his lips when she brushed her hand over the bulge in his shorts was primal and made her girly parts tingle with anticipation.

"Someone's ready," Evie said out of breath looking up at him.

Paul took a deep breath. "I'm not the only one," he responded as his hand slid to cup her ass. He leaned down and kissed her with enough heat to start a fire.

"Evie we need your help," Rex said standing next to Paul and Evie as they kissed.

"Really Rex," Evie scoffed before hitting him in the arm.

"It better be important," Paul snapped. He glared at Rex, who finally realized his mistake.

"Sorry dude, I wasn't thinking," Rex replied turning red. "But we need Evie's help. Beth disappeared with Enzo and that only leaves Evie." He gave a sheepish smile as he took a step back.

"What's the problem?" Evie asked turning to face the guys. Toby handed her a piece of paper. It was list of the girls that picked him as their fantasy. There were two rows of names on one side and half a row on the back. "Which girl is the problem?" she asked looking over the names.

"Don't be that way short stuff," Tank cooed as he pinched her cheek. Paul smacked his hand.

"No touching," Paul ordered with a grin. "She's my fantasy and I definitely don't share." Tank threw his hands in the air and took a step back laughing.

"Okay," Tank replied. He handed Evie his paper as well as Rex.

Evie took the papers and was impressed they were pretty much even. She noticed Avery Parker was on all three lists which is a big violation of the rules. She grabbed Paul's hand and placed it on her waist. She waved for the guys to follow her. The house was packed as she looked for Jerry and Dave.

"Who are you looking for?" Paul asked running his hands up and down her hips.

"Jerry and Dave," she replied. "I need to check their lists too." She got her tippy toes to see but it was no use.

Paul tapped her hip. "They just walked out to the pool area," he said pointing straight ahead. He got in front of her and grabbed her hand. Everyone cleared a path for him as he made his way outside.

"Dave, Jerry," Paul called out to them as they were about to sit down. He took a seat on one of the wooden bar stools. He pulled Evie between his legs and wrapped his arms around her stomach. The view he had was perfect. Evie's breasts were pushed up and he could see straight now her top. He licked his lips as he moved his arms, making her breasts jiggle.

"Please stop horny teenage boy," Evie smirked as she looked at him.

He kissed her nose. "Hurry," he demanded. "I have some dirty fantasy floating around my head." He pulled her into him and she gasped. "Hurry." She nodded before winking at him.

"Jerry and Dave give me your lists," she said. She ran her hand through her hair. They gave her their lists and she quickly found Avery's name. "Okay, Avery is on all five lists. She's out for this color party." They all began to whine and argue. "Hey, you guys are the ones who came up with the rules. Beth and I just enforce them. With that settled," she huffed as she grabbed Dave's pen. She marked off Avery's name on all the lists and put her initials.

"You seriously have to put your initials," Paul chuckled. "Who came up with this shit?" he asked looking the guys.

Tank, Rex, Toby, Enzo, Jerry and Dave looked at each other before looking at Paul with big ass grins. "We did," they said in unison and laughed.

"Enzo," Paul shook his head. "But he's not playing."

"He's never played," Evie said laughing.

"Not funny Evie," Enzo pouted. "We made the rules before I starting dating Beth." He put his arm around Beth and kissed her.

"Hey if you want to play," Rex got up and rubbed his hands together. "I am more than willing to give up my single card." He held his arms open and waved his hands for Beth.

Enzo flipped off Rex making everyone laugh.

"Okay boys," Dave stood looking at his list. "We still have plenty of time to rack up our numbers." He kissed Evie on the cheek. "Thank you for taking care of this for us."

"You're welcome," Evie said as she wrapped her arms around Paul.

"Hey Paul," Jenny shouted as she stood by the pool. "Join me for a dip." She let her finger run down between her breasts.

"She's a persist bitch," Paul grumbled. He looked at Dave. "Sorry, man." Dave stuck his fist out.

"No, I'm sorry," Dave said as he bumped fist with Paul. "My cousin has issues. It's a long story."

"How much of a scene would she make if I knocked her in the pool?" Evie asked taking her phone out of her back pocket. She tossed her phone to Beth as she kicked her flip flops off.

Jenny was laughing with her friends. She noticed Evie staring at her. Jenny turned and smiled and then flipped her off.

"Babe, what are you doing?" Paul asked as he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her back.

"I told you," Evie replied looking up at him as she tied her hair in a ponytail. "I'm just going to knock her in the pool." She patted his chest and turned to walk away.

Paul couldn't believe how feisty Evie was acting. He was majorly turned on watching her. She didn't get far when he through her over his shoulder. "Dave," he said before tossing his phone to him. He quickly took his shoes off.

"Paul," Evie yelled. "Put me down." She smacked his ass and squirmed around.

The guys were laughing as they watched them. Dave pulled out his phone and started videoing. Toby ran in front of Paul to video them.

"Stop moving around babe," Paul said as he smacked her ass.

"My boobs are going to fall out of my shirt," she said trying to hold her top in place. "Ouch," she yelled. Paul bit her ass hard.

"Toby, please tell you got that," Jerry yelled laughing. Everyone outside was watching and laughing.

"I totally got it," Toby said laughing.

Paul pulled Evie into his arms. He grabbed her legs and wrapped them around his waist. She immediately wrapped her arms around his neck. "Did I bite you too hard?" he asked. They were a few feet away from the pool. He had an idea to kill two birds with one stone.

"No, it actually was a turn on," she said smiling. "What's the plan?" she asked trying to ignore everyone that was watching them.

"Trust me?" he asked taking a few steps back.

"Always," she answered. The smirk on his face had her heart beating a mile a minute.

He gave her a quick kiss. "Hold on," he said running towards the pool.

Evie held on to him as he ran and flip them in the air. She was too scared to scream. He held her tight as they hit the water. They went straight to the bottom. She could see Paul's feet hit the bottom and push them back up towards the surface.

As soon as they broke the surface they could hear shouting and clapping. Paul kept them floating as he looked around. He started to laugh and when Evie looked at him he pointed to his right. Jenny and her friends where soaking wet.

Paul swam them to the side. Rex reached down and pulled Evie out of the pool while Paul pulled himself out. Beth handed them towels. Dave bumped fist with Paul and told him to use the guest room and upstairs laundry room to dry their clothes. Rex was patting Paul on the back as Paul pulled Evie against him. Toby gave him a high-five, Jerry bumped fists with him and Tank threw his arm around him.

"This bastard right here is the fuckin' man," Tank yelled. "Dude, that was fucking awesome. I thought Evie was going to fly off." He rubbed the top of Evie's head.

"Hell no," Paul said smiling. "I had a tight hold on my girl." He bumped fist with Tank.

"We didn't bring spare clothes," Evie pulled the towel closer to her body.

"Dave said to use the laundry room upstairs and the guest room," Paul replied wiggling his eyebrows. He pulled her towards the house. She bit her bottom lip as they left.

* * *

><p>They were locked in the guest room as their clothes dried a few doors down. The music was still loud up stairs. But that could be a good thing. Dave gave them a pair of sweatpants and a shirt to wear. Paul was wearing the sweatpants and Evie was wearing the shirt. He turned off the lights, leaving only the bedside lamps on.<p>

"So this was your plan?" Evie asked taking a seat on the bed. She crossed her legs and rested her hands on her knees. The shirt Dave loaned her was from his eighth grade promotion party. It hung down to the middle of her thighs. Her stomach did flips as Paul's eyes looked her over.

Paul licked his lips as he walked towards her. He leaned down with his hands on either side of hips. "Of course," he said. With the tips of his fingers he moved them slowly up her leg.

She brushed her lips against his. "Great plan," she murmured. The feeling of his fingers moving on her skin sent shivers throughout her body. "So what do you have in mind?" she asked as she moved her lips over his jaw.

The smell of her arousal between her legs made him throb. He moved his hands up her thighs. Taking the hem of the shirt, he moved it up her body. Fuck, she looked absolutely beautiful with nothing on. He felt her hands move over his ads before moving down to the waist band of his sweats. She lowered his sweatpants freeing his hard erection. He kissed her but she moved away from him and scooted up on the bed. She crooked her index finger at him.

She laughed when he gave her his panty drop smile and crawled towards her. He hovered over her as leaned down and slowly kissed her. She ran her hands over his abs and up his chest. She followed the contours of his muscles. The moaned that escaped was followed by a gasp.

He kissed along her neck and gently sucked on her skin. Her skin tasted even better than last time. He moved down to her perfect breasts. He licked and nibbled on her hard nipple before taking it in his mouth. He moved down her body, licking and kissing her stomach. Damn, he missed this body. Everything about her was rooted deep inside him. The taste of her was something he didn't think he would ever get tired of.

She ran her fingers through his hair down to the nape of his neck. He moved down her body kissing and sucking on her hips. She arched her back when he used his fingers to open her and ran his tongue through her center. He gently sucked on her clit and she moaned his name. Her hands were fisting the comforter and he continued to suck on her clit. His mouth and tongue did things to her that she couldn't even explain. She rubbed her legs along his body as he rested between her legs.

Paul loved watching her come undone. He put one finger insider her and moved in and out of her. She moaned moving her hips against him. He took his finger out and flattened his tongue while slowly licking her from her opening to her clit. Her body trembled as he did it again. She tasted so fucking good.

"You like that baby," he said before sucking her clit. He moved his finger back inside her.

"Yes," she panted. "Yes, oh Paul, don't stop….mmm…so close….Paul." She had her fingers in his hair.

He put another finger inside her. She was so tight. He looked up to her breasts jiggle as she panted and moaned his name. He knew she was almost there but he wanted to taste her when she came. She was the best flavor in the world. He moved his fingers in and out of her while he continued to lick and suck her clit. He felt her walls tighten and he crooked his fingers. Her scent and arousal was everywhere. His wolf growled at the satisfaction they were giving their imprint.

Her body trembled and shivered as he continued. Her stomach began to slowly burn at the delicious sensations running through her body. She was close as the fire began to spread; she bit her lip to keep from screaming. They weren't at his place and they weren't alone. She fisted the comforter as her release neared.

He knew she was at the edge ready to fall. He hooked his hand around her thighs and continued his assault with his mouth. She squirmed under him but not too much. He kept her in place when he felt her muscles tightened. He growled in satisfaction as she moaned and begged him not to stop. He threw her legs over his shoulders. When she moaned his name like a prayer waiting for an answer, he bit down on her clit.

Her body shook as her released washed over her. White and black spots exploded in front of her as she moaned his name. Her body felt like it was floating from the wonderful vibrations she was experiencing. Her body was trembling and she tried to move away from him as he continued to suck on her clit. The sensation was overwhelming. Her body shook as another orgasm hit her. She cried out his name as she closed her legs. He was no longer between them. The spasms that moved throughout her body were hard. That was the first time she had an orgasm on top of another one. She felt herself slowly coming down from her euphoric high.

Paul quickly put on the condom and hovered over Evie. Her eyes were still glazed over from her release. He kissed her as her arms wrapped around his neck. He explored her mouth as he pushed inside her. Fuck she felt so good. She was so wet and inviting. She gasped at first but then joined him as they moaned the further he went. She kissed his chest and ran her nails down his back. Not being able to kiss her as he made love to her was something he needed to change.

He wrapped his arms around her and picked her up. He was going to sit on the bed but wall sex was too good to pass up. With her back against the wall, her legs wrapped around him, he held her hips as he pumped into her. He covered her mouth as she moaned. Their tongues danced and moved together. His hips were snapping into her with such force he was surprised they didn't make a hole in the wall. He kissed her neck and licked at her shoulder.

"Faster Paul…mmm…harder," she begged in his ear.

When she bit his skin between his shoulder and neck, he didn't hold back. It was instinct as he buried himself completely in her. He did exactly what she begged for.

She knew at the pace they were going she would be sore. But he felt so good moving in her. She kissed along his jawline, moving down his neck to his shoulder. Her legs tighten around him as the fire in her stomach began to make its way through her body. It wasn't like before, the slow fire until she exploded; no this was fast and hard. Her release matched his pace. Her body shook as she released around him.

He groaned as her walls locked down on him like a vice, but he wasn't ready to come just yet. He kissed her as she came all over him. The taste of her skin as he moved along her neck to her shoulder tasted better each time. Her panting was slowing as she came down from her high. He walked her to the bed and laid her down. She winced when he pulled out of her.

"Turn over baby," he groaned as he looked over her perfect body. She bit her lip and did what he asked. He moved her back to him and lined himself up to enter her wet center. "If it hurts, let know." He smiled when she looked over her shoulder and nodded.

Paul took a deep breath as he slowly entered her in this new position. His wolf was growling in triumph as he finally took her in the way they both dreamed of having their imprint. She was much tighter this way and the moan that escaped her made him growl with satisfaction.

He held her in place with one hand on her hip as he moved in and out of her tight center. He moved his other hand from her ass up her back. Her skin felt so smooth, he moved his hand back down her back and lightly smacked her beautiful ass. She cried out his name as she looked over her shoulder. Fuck that look had him throbbing with so much need for her.

The music from downstairs was loud enough to drown out her cries of pleasure as he pounded her from behind. He tried to go slow but the wolf was howling for more. Her scent was calling to them. He wrapped his hand around her hair and pulled her head back. Shit, her walls were quivering around him as he continued to move inside her. The sounds of pleasure escaping her lips pushed him to the edge. He let her hair go as he held her hips.

Her arms gave out as she collapsed on the bed. Her legs felt like rubber as her orgasm washed over her. Damn this was too much. Everything felt intensified. Her body felt over sensitive as he moved his hand up and down her back.

"Come on baby, hold on," he hissed. His balls tightened as he pulled almost all the way out leaving on the head inside. She pushed herself up and groaned as he quickly entered her. "That's it baby. Fuck you feel so good." He was close but it felt so good he didn't want it to end.

"Paul," she panted. "Close…mmm…so close." Her body reacted to his every touch. He rubbed circles around her hip bones as he thrust inside her.

"Evie," he said breathlessly. He felt her walls tighten. She was breathing heavily as her release had her entire body shaking. He knew this was different than any of the other times they were together. All the love he was feeling for Evie was being poured into her. A strange feeling crept over him as if everything was about to change. His body shuttered as he released deep inside her. "Evie," he stuttered as she milked him dry. Her walls were still locked down on him.

There was sheen of sweat covering her body. Everything was silent in the room. The only noises heard were coming from downstairs. Neither one of them moved. He could hear the dryer was no longer running. Her walls were trembling around him. His breathing was still ragged as he tried to catch his breath. Her breathing sounded the same.

He slowly pulled out of her as she made small whimpering sounds. She slid down on the bed and curled up into a ball. He walked into the bathroom and threw the condom in the trash. He turned on the shower and went back into the room. He gently picked her up and carried into the bathroom.

"How do you feel?" he asked. The sliding door opened easily. He stepped with her still in his arms.

"Sore," she replied. "Really sore." She cringed when he put her down under the water. Her entire body was still extremely sensitive.

"Baby, why didn't you tell me," he snapped. Fuck, the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her.

"Sorry," she said smiling. "Well actually I'm not. It felt incredible." She opened her legs as he washed her sensitive area. She hissed as his hand slid over her ass. Her shoulders felt a little stiff so she slowly moved them to get the kinks out.

He was gentle as he washed her. "I know it felt great but it's not worth it if you're this sore," he scolded. "I don't remember you being this sore after our first time." He grabbed the nozzle for the shower head and unhooked it to wash her off.

"The wall was probably my fault," she admitted. "I did ask you to go faster and harder." Her hands were on his shoulder and he continued to rinse her off.

"I can't believe I listened to you," he said upset. "Your body is so small and tiny. I'm still amazed you can keep up." He finished rinsing her off. "Don't move babe." He kissed her before washing up.

Most women can handle him and even beg for more. When he picks up the pace, they ask him to slow down. But fuck, not Evie, she begs him to give her more. He silently thanked the spirits for giving him Evie. She was perfect for him in every way. He finished showering and turned the water off. She opened the door but stopped when he took her hand.

"I'll get the towels," he said caressing her cheek.

The cabinet next to the shower had plenty of towels. He put one on the floor and then turned to dry her off with the other. She smirked as he softly dried her off. He made sure to go lightly when he reached her hips.

"Fuck," he hissed. "I'm sorry baby. I didn't realize I was holding you so tight." He helped her step out on to the towel that was on the floor.

She stopped him from wrapped the towel around her. There were finger print bruises on her hips. She touched them but they didn't bother her. "There fine Paul," she looked up to see him watching her. "They don't hurt. See," she said touching them. "I'm okay." She leaned towards him and gave him a kiss.

"How are you so comfortable being naked around me?" he asked drying off. She looked at him weird. "Don't answer just yet. Let me go grab our clothes first," he said when she opened her mouth. He kissed her and left the bathroom.

He grabbed the sweats and put them on. The hallway was empty or at least it looked empty. He shook his head when he was half way down the hall. He entered the laundry room pissed off. Jenny was holding his shorts.

"Don't you look all nice and clean," she purred as he walked past her. He grabbed the clothes from the drier and turned around. "I was a bit upset that you chose to get me wet by jumping in the pool. There were so many other ways you could have done it." She winked.

"Give me the shorts," he demanded. This bitch was seriously on his last fuckin' nerve. He held out his hand for them.

"There's no need to feel shy," she said swinging the shorts on her finger. "I promise to be gentle." She licked her lips as she looked him up and down. She knew he would be unbelievable in bed. "I'm sure you would rather be with someone who isn't a tease." His chest and abs were begging for her tongue to move over them.

"I'm only going to say this once," Paul growled as he snatched his shorts out of her hand. She looked scared as she stumbled backwards. "Stay the fuck away from me. I don't want you anywhere near Evie or me." He turned and walked back to the guest room.

Evie was sitting on the bed combing her hair. She had the towel wrapped around her. When the door opened she turned around smiling but stopped when she saw Paul's face. "What's wrong?" she asked getting up. He dropped the clothes on the chair by the nightstand.

"Fucking Jenny was in the laundry room when I got there," he said angrily. "I've never hit a girl but she is at the top of my list." He took a deep breath.

She ran her hands up his chest and placed them on his shoulders. "What did she say?" she asked knowing it had to do with her.

"Jenny made it clear she wants me," he said rubbing his hands over her arms.

"Can't blame her for having good taste," she replied moving her hands to the back of his neck and playing with the ends of his hair.

"She called you a tease," he added as he moved his hands down to her hips.

"You know I'm not a tease," she smirked as she ran one hand down his chest following his well-defined pecks to the contours of his abs. "I could prove it to you if you want." She looked him up and down and then gave him an innocent look.

He leaned down and kissed her, pulling her tightly against him. The feather light kisses he gave her as he pulled away made him hard. "Everyone probably thinks I'm taking advantage of you," he laughed. He cupped her cheek as he stared into her eyes.

"Little do they know," she smirked. "It's me taking advantage of you." She got on her tippy toes and gave him a quick kiss. "Okay about the naked thing you asked before you went to get the clothes." She moved away from and tossed his tank top over her shoulder.

"Most girls are embarrassed after their first time," he began as he pulled his tank top on. "You were when you admitted being a virgin." He kissed her cheek when she blushed.

"I was embarrassed but you walked around so confident being naked around me and never once made me feel embarrassed. You told I was beautiful and meant it. There was nothing fake. I feel secure and confident because of you," she explained taking off her towel. She watched as he looked her up and down. "Like right now. You make me feel wanted and needed." She put her panties and bra on. "What girl doesn't want a gorgeous guy to look at her that way?" she asked pulling her shorts up. She grabbed her top and sat on the bed.

He pulled up his shorts and smiled. "What most people call cockiness, you call confident," he chuckled as he ran his hand over his hair. She put her top on and smiled at him. "How is it you see me for who I am and spin it into someone worth loving?" he asked kneeling down in front of her. "My mother left when I was eight and the old man left a few months ago. You've known me for a few weeks and gave me a birthday party with people who barely know me but treated me like family. How did I get so fucking lucky to have you all to myself?" He held her hands and stared into her eyes.

"Wow…you really don't know how amazing you are," she said pushing the tears back. "I've seen the way you are with your friends when you think no one is paying attention. You've helped Collin and Embry with their parents." She ran her hand down the side of his face. "Whatever problem you and Jacob have," she smiled when he squirmed. "You put your differences aside for me and Bella." She rubbed her thumb over his soft lips.

"I am one lucky bastard," he smiled as he brushed his lips over hers.

"We're both lucky," she retorted smiling.

Paul stood up pulling Evie with him. He wrapped his arms around her as he inhaled her honeysuckle scent. Everything was working out for them. He had a strong feeling Evie would accept all of him. He promised himself to tell her once they were back in La Push. There would be no secrets between them.

* * *

><p>The party was winding down with just a few circles of people milling around. Tank, Toby, Rex, Jerry and Dave were surprising single at the moment. Normally there were girls hanging all over them. There were empty cups all over the place. A few guys were holding buckets as they sat on the floor. There's a perfect example of what happens when you drink too much.<p>

Evie grabbed a water bottle and a cup from the red container. Paul was the only who was drinking it. Everyone was impressed the alcohol had no effect on him. She handed him the cup as she took a seat next to him. The kiss he gave her tasted like chocolate. She nibbled on his bottom lip before licking her lips.

"Damn baby, that was hot," Paul growled in her ear. He tried taking her upstairs an hour ago. Instead she swayed her hips to the music and went to dance. He wasn't a fool, he followed her gorgeous ass. She bumped and grinded on him as he moved his hands all over her.

"Still not going upstairs," she said smiling. "There's no music to drown out the moans."

"What if I promise to stay quiet?" he asked kissing her neck.

"I wish we were back at your house," she said running her hand along his thigh. "That feels good." The gentle nibbling he was doing on her neck was incredible.

His hot breath brushed her damp skin. She was about to say something but instead she squeezed his thigh when he bit the area between her neck and shoulder. The bite was hard but sensual at the same time. He licked the spot before grazing his teeth along the area.

Paul moved along her neck enjoying the taste of her skin. Fuck it was intoxicating but more so than when they are having sex. The imprint link was calling out to him. Her scent seemed to intensify for a split second. Before he could stop himself, he bit her hard almost breaking the skin. He pulled back and licked the area but thankfully there was no damage. He grazed his teeth against her skin to assure the wolf that their imprint was fine.

"That girl does not give up," Rex stated as he took a seat across from Evie and Paul. He nodded his head to the right. They looked to see Toby and Jenny arguing.

"I told him to ignore her but you know Toby," Tank said taking a seat. "She puts up a good front but she's not over him." He took a drink from his cup.

"The question is," Dave took a drink of his beer. "Is Toby over her?" He waved his hand at some red head that was sitting on the diving board.

"It's was over for him a year ago," Evie commented as she moved to the edge of her seat. She was watching Toby. "At one point he really loved her but you guys know that changed after our trip to Mexico." She looked at Dave but the red head from the diving board was leaning down and whispering in his ear. He nodded and took a piece of paper from her before she walked away.

"I hope so," Dave finally replied looking at Jenny and Toby. "She may be my cousin but Toby's my bro. I won't stand by and let her hurt him again." He put the piece of paper in his pocket.

"Paul doesn't know the story," Rex asked looking back at Evie. She shook her head no. "Always the loyal friend," he smiled.

"Even when she wasn't," Evie replied. She leaned back when she felt Paul's hand on her back.

"I'll tell the story," Toby said taking a seat next to Evie. He playfully hit Evie's knee. "It was the end of our sophomore year, Evie's freshman year. We headed to Mexico for the beginning of summer. There was a storm when we landed and everyone was excited to hit the beach. Evie, Mitchell and Derek were with us. My dad was closing some deal and Derek's my dad's attorney." He took a drink of his beer.

"That's what Bella was talking about," Paul said looking at Evie.

"Don't start Dave," Rex scoffed as Dave threw a cup at him.

"Dave has a huge crush on Bella," Evie explained. "Uncle Charlie and Bella would visit sometimes and Dave was hooked." She laughed when Dave gave her a dirty look. "She has a boyfriend and trust me, they are very happy." She smiled thinking of Bella and Jacob.

"I bet I could take him," Dave said flexing his muscles.

"Jacob is six five and about twice my size," Paul pointed out. "Sorry Dave," he said when Dave frowned.

"Looks like Dave has a permanent date with his hand," Jerry commented as he plopped down on one of the chairs.

"You and Dave have the same date then," Rex said laughing. They both threw empty cups at him.

"Do you guys go surfing during storms a lot?" Paul asked. He didn't like the idea of Evie out in the water.

"Not all the time," Toby answered. "Especially not alone, we go out in a group. That's what we did that summer. Jenny was supposed to go with us but backed out at the last minute." He moved to the edge of his seat. "My mom got sick so we cut our vacation short and we all headed home. I was missing my girl and told the guys not to say anything. I wanted to surprise her." He took a deep breath and ran his hand through his hair.

"We crashed at Toby's house except for Evie," Dave said looking at Paul. "There was a party later that night, so I came up with the idea of Toby surprising her at the party." He got up and stretched.

"The plan," Toby said with a chuckle, "was to arrive an hour late but of course Tank decided to act like a girl and took forever to get ready."

"I have never acted like a girl," Tank scoffed. Evie coughed and looked away. "Name one time," he said looking at Evie.

"My sixteenth birthday, Beth's sixteenth birthday and Prom this past year," Evie said laughing. "Toby and I sat in the back of the limo for an hour waiting for you." She felt Paul tense up. "Dylan pulled a hamstring and Toby's date got sick. Since our tickets were paid for we decided to go together instead of looking for dates." He nodded and relaxed.

"Unfortunately Evie arrived on time and lied to Jenny saying only she returned and the rest of us were still in Mexico," Toby continued with the story. "Evie texted Craig was there and she was going to leave. He was always hitting on Evie but she kept shooting him down. We hurried up and I told Evie not to leave the party alone." He remembered racing to the party and telling the guys they were stupid for letting Evie meet them there instead of going with them.

Evie shifted around uncomfortable with the mention of Craig's name. He always gave her the creeps. The way he used to watch her and follow her around. Her body shivered involuntarily just thinking about him.

"You cold babe," Paul rubbed his hand up and down her arm.

"I'm good," she replied snuggling close to him.

"When we got there the party was packed," Jerry rubbed the back of his neck. "We couldn't found Evie anywhere. No one knew where she was and they weren't sure if she left or not. I couldn't get the image of Craig doing something to her out of my head. We started to panic." He had both his hands around the back of his neck.

Toby could see the dark look on Paul's face. "Craig never touched Evie," he said answering Paul before he could ask. "All joking aside, we love Evie like a sister. She has always been there for each one of us whenever we needed her. That's why we were scared of something happening to her." Toby got up and began to pace.

"We split up looking for her in the house and outside. When we didn't find her there was only one place she could be," Rex added. He ran his hand down his face. "There's a pool house behind these huge bushes. We took off as fast as we could."

"I completely forgot about looking for Jenny," Toby said. "When we got to the pool house there were noises coming from inside. We were so angry at the thought of Craig doing something to Evie, we just busted in." He turned away from them.

"That's when all hell broke loose," Tank grumbled. "It was something out of a porno. Craig, Doug and Joey were having sex with Jenny."

Toby let out a frustrated breath. "Turns out she'd been fucking them for the last three months. It was crazy after that," he sighed angrily. "After we were done kicking their asses, Jenny acted like it was no big deal. We were yelling at her about Evie. We kept asking her where Evie was and that's when she lost it." He turned and looked at Evie.

"Jenny and I were best friends but after that night I never talked to her again," Evie felt sick thinking about it. "Craig made a pass at me. There was no way I could stay there after that. Gabe saw what happen and offered to take me home. I tried to call the guys but my phone died." She put her cheek on Paul's chest. She felt bad for Toby.

"That's not even the fucked up part," Dave sighed heavily. He looked at Toby who nodded. "Doug is my stepbrother; we don't get along at all. My mom married his dad two years ago. I live her with my dad and stepmom."

"Joey is just an asshole," Jerry said. "He's been following those idiots for years."

"Those two ass wipes weren't the bad part of this entire fucked up thing," Toby snapped. The angry he felt would always be there no matter how much time passed. "No, the worst part of this is Craig." He turned around and rolled his shoulders trying to ease the tension. "Craig is my older brother. He only went after Jenny because I refused to help him with Evie. But honestly that's just his excuse." He glared at Jenny when she walked by one of the windows.

"Jenny has a habit of teasing Toby about Craig being better and then she turns it around on him," Dave explained. "She blames Evie for Craig coming on to her." He turned when he heard Paul swear. "I told you the girl had issues," he said looking at Paul.

"I thought my family was screwed up," Paul muttered. He pulled Evie as close to him as he could. "I wish you would have said something." He gave her a little shake until she looked up at him.

"It wasn't my story to tell," she responded. "Before you ask, no they weren't here tonight. They know better than to show their faces around these guys." She rubbed his chest.

"Craig knows better than to show his face after everything," Toby said sitting down. "My parents aren't happy with him and after the crap he pulled this past semester he's lucky to still have a place to call home." He leaned back in his seat. "He was accused of selling term papers but they couldn't prove it."

Evie pulled out her phone. "Derek," she said. "I'm sorry I lost track of time and-."

"Shorty," Derek said trying to force the lump in his throat down. "You need to get home." He looked at Kathy. Her breathing was ragged but she was able to smile at him.

"Oh God, is she," Evie could barely talk. She looked at Paul with tears in her eyes as she held his hand.

"No, she's not but she's asking for you," he replied. "Your Uncle Charlie will be here in a few hours. I would have called sooner but she insisted I let you have some fun." He laid his head on Kathy's hand.

"I'm on my way," she choked out. Paul took the phone from her but she didn't know what he was saying. There was a loud pounding in her ears and her cheeks were wet.

"Evie," Paul calmly said as he held her face between his hands. "It's okay baby, I'm taking you home." She nodded. He picked her up as she buried her face in his neck.

"Is there anything we can do?" Dave asked standing up.

"Not at the moment," Paul answered. He gave them all a small smile. "I need to get her home. I'll text you guys later with an update." He walked through the house and quickly opened the door.

It didn't take long to get to the car and strap her in. He started the car and took off. He knew Evie was going to need him now more than ever. She was curled up into a ball on the passenger seat. He reached over and took her hand. She immediately wrapped her hands around his. He focused on the road and prayed Evie would get a chance to see her mom before it was too late.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for the reviews, they are appreciated more than you will ever know. Thank you to everyone for following the story and for making it one of your favorites.<strong>

**Thanks,**

**india8**


	13. Chapter 13

***I don't own any of the characters from Twilight. They belong to Stephenie Meyer. I only own the original characters in this story.**

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><p>Chapter 13<p>

Charlie and Derek watched Evie and Kathy as they slept with their arms around one another. They didn't have the heart to pull them away from each other. Charlie scratched the back of his head as he finally turned away and headed to the kitchen for some coffee. Bella was in the kitchen helping Valisa make breakfast.

Evie's friends showed up at six in the morning, just as Charlie, Bella and Jacob were getting out of Derek's car. Paul made all the introductions but Bella and some of the fellas remembered each other from the times she came to visit Evie. Charlie only remembered their names vaguely but it didn't seem to bother them.

"Auntie Val, the patio is setup," Paul said throwing his arm around the older woman.

"Thank you sweetie pie," Valisa pinched his cheek. She went back to flipping the pancakes. "You didn't let Marshall pick up any of the heavy stuff?" she asked as she added more batter to the griddle.

"No," he replied. "Jacob and I did all the heavy work while the stooges washed down the chairs." He laughed as they walked into the kitchen. Jacob walked in behind them and went straight over to Bella.

"Hey honey," Jacob whispered in Bella's ear. He kept his hands to himself considering Charlie was watching them.

"All done outside," Bella asked looking up at him and smiling. She added more bacon to the pan. He nodded yes and then pointed to a piece of bacon. She nodded and let him sneak a piece.

"You boys go wash up," Valisa ordered. She gave them a stern look. They grumbled but headed to the bathroom. "Paul if you keep sneaking a pancake, there won't be any more left." She swatted his hand away laughing. He looked at her and pouted. "Sugar, you're a sweet boy, go ahead and take one more." Paul smiled as he grabbed one.

"Auntie Val, I worked hard watering down he chairs," Rex whined. She waved him over. He gave her a big grin.

"Why do Paul and Rex get to have a pancake?" Toby asked hurt.

"Rex is the baby of all you boys," Valisa answered. "I can't deny my baby boy." Rex gave her a kiss on the cheek and then turned and stuck his tongue out at the guys. "Paul makes my baby girl happy and my baby is going to need him." She patted Paul's cheek before wiping away a tear.

Charlie looked at Paul and Jacob and motioned for them to wash up too. They shrugged and left. "Thank you Valisa for making breakfast," he said leaning against the counter.

"Charlie Swan, you have known me long enough not to thank me for doing things for family," she scolded, waving her spatula at him. "Besides these boys deserve it, they got Evie out of the house. She's going to need all of them." She sighed as she finished placing the last of the pancakes on the platter.

"That's a lot of food you ladies made," Charlie commented as he carried the platter of pancakes out to the patio. Valisa was setting down the biscuits and gravy Bella made.

"If Jacob eats like Paul, then I say it's not enough," Marshall said with a laugh. "That kid is a human disposal." He kissed Valisa on the cheek before walking in the house.

"Dad there are a lot of people to feed," Bella pointed out as she placed the plates of bacon and sausage down.

"Should all these boys be here?" Charlie asked. He took a drink of his coffee.

"It's been a while since all these kids have been over," Valisa said taking a seat. "Kathy and I use to make Sunday brunch for them. But ever since she got sick, they've limited their visits, not wanting to overwhelm her." She looked at Charlie as she rested her chin on her hands.

"She always wanted a house full of kids," Charlie said looking away.

"We both did," Derek said standing by the sliding door. He walked out on to the patio deck and placed his hand on Valisa's shoulder. "The doctor called. He should be here in a little while to change the morphine drip." He kissed her on the forehead and took a seat next to Charlie.

Rex was the first to walk out. He took a seat next to Valisa. Marshall came out and messed up Rex's hair. He laughed when Rex gave him a dirty look. He took the other seat next to Valisa. He watched the other boys come out and take seats. They were good kids.

Jacob smiled when he saw Bella pat the seat next to her. He didn't waste any time as he took his seat. Dave walked out and noticed the seat next to Bella was empty. He rubbed his hands together with a smirk on his face. He was about to pull the seat out when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Trust me," Paul said looking at Jacob. "It's for your own good." He sat down laughing.

Dave looked at Jacob and shook his head. Damn it, all he needed was ten minutes alone with Bella. Jacob looked at him and raised his eyebrow. He shrugged and sat down, leaving the seat next to Paul open for Evie. "I still think I have a chance," he whispered to Paul. He leaned forward to look at Bella but instead was staring straight at an unhappy Jacob. He waved awkwardly.

"Idiot," Paul laughed. He heard a low growl come from Jacob and Bella whispering to him.

"Dumbass," Toby said shaking his head. "Quit while your ahead before you lose your head." He lightly hit Dave in the back of the head.

Rex was the first to load up his plate. Jacob and Paul weren't far behind. Toby and Dave were fighting over a large piece of bacon until Jerry reached across and took it. Tank poured syrup over everything including his eggs. Charlie watched as the all seven boys piled up their plates. Bella looked like she barely had anything on her plate.

It didn't take long before they were all laughing and telling stories of Evie and the guys. They even told stories of Jacob and Bella and their mud pie adventures. They were telling stories of their many sleepovers from shaving Tank's legs, putting a leaking water bottle in Rex's sleeping bag or putting makeup on Enzo.

Paul and Jacob looked at each other when they heard the faint knock on the front door. Paul caught Evie's scent. He could hear the soft sounds of her feet as she answered the front door. He missed her. She immediately went to her mom's room when they got home from the party. He tried to give her space and let her spend time with her mom but he didn't want her to think he didn't care.

Evie walked through the door and stopped when she noticed everyone was there minus Enzo and Beth. Tears sprang to her eyes as she took in all the people who were there for her mom. The note from her mom felt heavy in her pocket. She knew Paul would be the first to see her. His eyes were on her the moment she walked outside. It wasn't something she could explain, not even to herself but she knew Paul could sense her where ever she might be.

Jerry was the first to talk. "Evie, you okay?" he asked walking to her. She shrugged as the tears blurred her vision. He pulled her into a hug.

Evie hugged Jerry him back but she stuck out her right arm. Paul immediately intertwined their fingers. The other guys got up pulling them into a group hug. They made sure not to break her connection to Paul. She gave Paul's hand a squeezed as he kissed her hand. The guys told her they loved her and would be there for her. She couldn't talk so instead she nodded.

Paul and Jacob heard every word the guys said to Evie. Jacob looked at Paul and raised his eyebrows. Paul shrugged and smiled. He would tell Baby Alpha later. But he had a feeling Jacob would figure it out on his own. These guys were no threat to his relationship. They were important to Evie which made them important to him.

Paul stiffened as he caught Mitchell's scent and Evie squeezed his hand hard as if she could sense something was wrong. He took a steady breath to calm down. Ever since Mitchell picked up his things he hasn't been back to the house. He cancelled his visitations with Evie claiming he had work. Paul knew a part of Evie was disappointed but the other part was relieved not to see him.

Tank bumped his head against Evie's and kissed her forehead. He pointed with his index and middle finger that he had his eyes on her. She nodded and gave him a small smile.

Rex and Dave nodded at her before taking their seats. Toby kissed her head and messed up her hair but didn't move when he saw Mitchell standing at the doorway watching them.

"Looks like everyone got an invite but me," Mitchell didn't bother to hide the sarcasm or the dirty look. "You would think my own daughter would have included her father." He looked at Derek when he said father.

Paul stood in front of Evie with Toby next to him. Jerry never let Evie go. He held her as her body began to shake. Jacob moved in his seat, keeping Bella close. He could sense the anger coming from his Pack Brother.

Charlie didn't hesitate for a second. He was out of his seat in a flash and shoved Mitchell against the doorframe. Valisa and Bella screamed. Evie didn't see what happen, Paul and Toby were blocking her view but she heard a loud banging noise.

"You son of bitch," Charlie spit out. "How dare you show your face around here? After everything you've done to my sister and niece." Mitchell tried to push Charlie off of him but Charlie had his forearm pressed across Mitchell's throat.

"You're…choking…me," Mitchell said in a low raspy voice. His face was red and there were tears in his eyes.

"Charlie," Derek said trying to pull Charlie off of Mitchell. Even though he secretly wished it was him hurting Mitchell.

"If I had known what you did to them all those years ago," Charlie hissed. "You wouldn't be standing here." He pushed hard into Mitchell before releasing him.

Mitchell fell to the ground trying to get air into his lungs. He pulled his shirt away from his throat which felt raw from the pressure Charlie applied. He looked up to see Derek pulling Charlie back. It seemed Derek even fooled the great Charlie Swan. Mitchell picked himself up and looked around. The only thing he could see of Evie was her fingers in Paul's hand.

"What are you doing here Mitchell?" Marshall calmly asked getting up. The anger he felt towards Mitchell was close to the surface but he wasn't about to lose it in front the kids especially Evie. "The restraining order is still an effect. If you wish to see Evie, than you will have to wait until tomorrow, which of course is your scheduled visitation day." He took a few steps away from Valisa but angled himself close to Derek and Charlie.

"I came to see my wi-," Mitchell stopped himself when he say Derek open his mouth. "I came to see Kathy. She doesn't have long and I came to say goodbye." He touched his throat and winced at the pain. "I didn't realize you would stand on formalities knowing Kathy doesn't have much time."

Evie stepped away from Jerry and walked between Toby and Paul. She was still holding Paul's hand. "I'll take you to see her but I'm staying with you," she said wiping the tears from her eyes. She looked at Derek. He gave a slight nod. Evie gestured for her dad to go ahead.

Paul didn't let her hand go. "I don't think that's a good idea," he said leaning close to Evie. He didn't want that asshole anywhere near her.

"It's okay," she said in a reassuring tone. She placed her hand on his cheek. "Trust me." He stared into her eyes for a few moments. "I love you." He let out a frustrated breath before kissing the back her hand and letting her go.

"Paul seems at home here," Mitchell stated sarcastically.

"Don't," Evie snapped grabbing his arm. She knew it was wrong but she wasn't in the mood to deal with her dad's bruised ego. "Do not say one word about Paul or Derek. This is about my mother and no one else." She stared at Dad.

Mitchell looked down at her hand on his arm. They stared at each other for a few moments before he finally nodded. She let his arm go and walked ahead of him. He followed behind her as he rubbed his arm. Evie's strong hold surprised him. She opened the door to her mom's room. There was an older man writing on a clip board. He turned and gave them a little nod.

"Dr. Gordon, this is Mitchell McIntyre my father," Evie said gesturing to Mitchell. "Dr. Gordon is changing the pain medication for mom." She took a seat next to her mom and held her hand.

"Dr. Gordon," Mitchell nodded to the other man.

He stood at the foot of the bed and looked at Kathy for the first time. Her appearance was something he was prepared for. The last time he saw her; she had more color in her cheeks and was smiling. He missed her smile and her laugh. This wasn't the way he wanted things to end. The doctor moved away from the side of the bed. He waited a moment before moving closer.

"I'll give you both some privacy," Dr. Gordon said looking at Evie.

"Thank you Dr. Gordon," she said looking at the older man. "Papa Marshall is on the patio with Derek and Auntie Val. I'm sure they would like to speak to you." Dr. Gordon rubbed her shoulder. "Aunt Val made homemade pancakes. Please help yourself to some breakfast before leaving."

"Thank you," Dr. Gordon said smiling before closing the door.

"You sound so grown up," Mitchell said looking at Evie.

"Mom's been sleeping for a few hours now," she said. She ignored his comment because frankly she didn't know how to respond to it. She began to explain what's been going on with her mom. "The pain medication will automatically give her a dose every hour." She gently touched her mom's cheek.

Kathy's eyes opened but her eyelids felt so heavy. She tried to smile when she saw Evie's face but her mouth wouldn't work. She felt trapped within her own body. The tears she held back for so long came on their own accord. It wasn't fair. There was so much she wanted to tell Evie. She tried her hardest to hold her daughter's hand but her fingers weren't strong enough.

Evie wiped the tears from her mom's eyes. "Hey no crying, remember," Evie softly said. "Dad's here. He wanted to see you." She noticed how big her mom's eyes got at the mention of her dad. Evie couldn't tell if her mom was scared or worried. "He's only her to say goodbye. I'm right here mom. I'm not leaving." She could see her mom try to talk but nothing would come out.

"Hey Kit Kat," Mitchell said using the nickname he gave her after their first date. He lowered his hand to touch her cheek but stopped. It looked like Kathy was trying to move away from him. "I was hoping we could have a private conversation but it seems our daughter won't allow it." He laughed as he took a seat. "She's more like you every day." He gave them a smile but Evie didn't return it. "I know we had our differences but I did and I still do love you. That will never change." He shifted uncomfortably in the chair.

Evie wanted to believe her dad was being sincere but his past actions kept her from giving him the benefit of the doubt. He tried again to touch her mom but it seemed like her mom was trying really hard to move away from him.

"Dad, she doesn't want you touching her," Evie finally pointed out.

"I would prefer to speak to your mother in private," Mitchell said harshly.

"That's not possible," Evie said matching his tone. She could hear the soft creaking of the wooden floors in the hallway. It was either Uncle Charlie or Derek.

"There was a time my simple request would have been granted," he professed slightly hurt.

"That's true," she admitted. "But the past few weeks showed a different side of your personality." She tried not to show how angry she was but it was taking a lot of self-control. "If someone would have told me you were capable of the vicious verbal attack you sprang on mom and Derek, I would have called them a liar and defended you with my last breath." He smiled and reached across the bed to take her hand. "But unfortunately for both of us, I was a witness to your attack." The smile he had on his face disappeared and he pulled his hand back.

"I'm tired of your disrespectful tone," he snapped bitterly. Kathy jerked at his tone. He took a breath and tried to calm down but Evie wasn't making it easy.

"Respect needs to be earned," she said in an even tone. She rubbed her mom's hand and tried to calm her nerves at the same time. "It's not given easily, especially when it's been lost."

"Wow," Mitchell chuckled. "You are sounding more and more like your stepfather." He clapped as he continued to chuckle.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Evie said resting her head next to her mom. "Why don't you finish your conversation with mom?" She wanted to kick herself for letting her dad bate her into an argument.

"I didn't come here to fight with you cubby," he tried to sound apologetic but she wasn't buying it.

Evie looked at her dad but bit her tongue, hard. She wasn't going to let him suck her into another argument.

"Kathy, I'm sorry for upsetting you," he moved closer to the bed. "It wasn't my intention to bring you any unhappiness. I still think we had a shot at being happy but of course there were things that complicated the situation." He ran his hand through his hair. "I'll take good care of our girl. I'll make sure she is happy." He smiled at Evie but she kept her mouth shut.

Kathy was screaming inside. What the hell was Mitchell talking about? Evie is well taken care of and is perfectly happy with her and Derek. She tried to tell Evie not to worry. Damn it why can't she talk? She heard the whoosh from the machine, indicating her morphine dosage was being injected into her IV. She moved closer to Evie but it didn't matter. Her muscles were too weak to move and her eyelids were getting heavy. 'Please God, if you have to take me, make sure my daughter is safe.' It was the last thought she had before her eyes closed.

* * *

><p>"How long have they been in there?" Paul asked pacing. He didn't like Evie being alone with Mitchell. The man only knew how to hurt her.<p>

"I don't like it any more than you do," Derek replied passing Paul as he paced too.

They were all still outside on the patio. Charlie was leaning against the doorframe staring down the hall. Jacob was holding Bella's hand but keeping an eye on Paul. Valisa was watching her son. She knew this entire situation was taking a toll on him.

Paul could hear Evie and Mitchell but it didn't make him feel any better. He caught the look Jacob gave him. He rolled his eyes at his future Alpha and continued to pace. There were things he needed to tell Jacob but right now all he could think about was Evie. He glanced at Jerry and the guys. They were just as worried as he was but were trying to hide it. They kept sneaking glances at Valisa. Rex was next her with his arm around her shoulders.

"How long do you plan on giving Mitchell?" Charlie asked angrily. He was staring at Derek as he continued to pace.

"Dad," Bella scolded. She knew her dad was upset but this wasn't the time.

Derek stopped and looked at Charlie. He knew Charlie was itching to toss Mitchell out on his ass but he couldn't let that happen in front of Evie. No matter what they all thought of Mitchell he was still Evie's father. He looked down at his feet and took a slow steady breath to clear his head.

"Charlie, I know you're not happy with the situation," Derek said looking at him. "But we need to think about Evie. She and Kathy are my first priority." He looked down the hall to make sure Evie wasn't around. "I would love nothing more than to toss that asshole out and keep him as far away from my family but he's still Evie's father." He ran his hand over his face and took a deep breath.

"I know what you mean," Charlie reluctantly admitted. "With everything that's happen, I'm letting my emotions control the situation." He held out his hand to Derek. They shook hands. "I trust your judgment. Which reminds me, I brought the paperwork."

"Thanks, I'll get it from you later. I want to go over it with Kathy and Evie first," Derek patted Charlie on the arm.

Paul stopped pacing as he listened to Mitchell. Mother fucker, what the hell is he trying to pull? He walked past Derek and Charlie and stood with his arms crossed staring down the hall. He could feel Jacob's eyes on him basically warning him not to do anything stupid but he wasn't in the mood.

Marshall walked into the kitchen and stopped when he noticed Paul, Derek and Charlie looking down the hallway. He could see the anger in all three of them. The door to Kathy's room opened and Mitchell walked out.

"Evie," Mitchell began until he noticed the men down the hall. "Gentlemen," he gave them a slight nod. "Is there a problem?" he asked. He could see the irritation on their faces.

Evie looked down the hall to see Derek, Charlie, Paul and Marshall. They looked ready to throw her dad out of the house. She looked at her father and rolled her eyes. Her mom was asleep and she wasn't about to let anyone disturb her. Valisa passed her with a gentle squeeze on her arm. She entered the room and closed the door.

"Dad," Evie touched his arm and gestured for him to follow her. "I think it would be best for you to leave." She walked through the living room and opened the front door.

Jacob and Bella followed Charlie and Paul when they moved further in the house. Jacob knew Paul was close to losing it. They both heard Evie's dad. It was going to get worse before it got better. He whispered to Bella hang back in case something happen.

Marshall debated following Valisa in the room but he thought better. He stayed with Derek and Charlie. The tension in the air was thick and he didn't trust Mitchell.

Mitchell chuckled as he shook his head. "I know you don't want to talk about it right now, but it's not going away," he said placing his hand on the door. "We'll talk tomorrow during our visit." He kissed her forehead and left.

"What is he talking about Evie?" Charlie asked angrily.

Paul took a step forward, shaking off Jacob's hand from his arm. There is no way Mitchell could actually think everyone would be okay with his plan. Jacob grabbed Paul's arm again. He shook his head when Paul finally looked at him.

"Sweetie," Marshal moved next to Evie. "What exactly did your father say?" He placed a hand on her shoulder.

Evie was getting a headache after dealing with her father. "Dad told mom not to worry about me," she said sounding exhausted as she rubbed her temples, trying to relieve the pressure but it didn't feel like it was working.

"Shorty," Derek softly said her name as he moved her hands away from her head. "Take a deep breath and let it out." He took a deep breath with her. They both let it out slowly. He brushed away the tears that fell.

"SD, he told mom," Evie took a shaky breath. "He told her he was taking custody of me." She leaned against him as she began to cry. "Mom…was scared…I could see it…in her eyes." She held on to him as she cried.

"Son of bitch," Charlie hissed. He knew Mitchell would only cause problems.

"Paul," Derek said. He motioned for Paul to take Evie. "I'm calling Debra Steele, she's our attorney." He tapped Charlie's arm as he walked to the kitchen.

"I'll tell the boys," Marshall whispered to Evie as he kissed her forehead. He looked at Paul. "They most likely will set up camp in the living room." He patted Paul on the back before walking away.

Paul picked her up and carried her to her room with Jacob and Bella behind him. He sat on the bed while Jacob sat on the chair by the desk with Bella on his lap. Evie had her arms wrapped around his neck. She wasn't crying any more but he knew she was still hurting.

"Baby," Paul softly said. "Talk to me. I hate seeing you like this." He rubbed her back.

"Why?" she asked in a low voice. "Why is he doing this?" She slowly pulled away to look at him. "He doesn't even care what this is doing to my mom. The scared look on her face," she sobbed.

"I wish I knew baby," Paul kissed the top her head.

"Evie, why don't you take a shower," Bella suggested. "It will help relax you while Derek and my dad talk to the attorney." She got off Jacob's lap and walked over to Evie. She held out her hand. She couldn't began to imagine what Evie was going through.

"Okay," Evie replied with a small smile. She took Bella's hand as she got up. She turned to Paul.

"I'll keep the guys company," Paul said getting up. He knew it was better if Bella helped her. The anger he had towards Mitchell was close to erupting. "Marshall said they are probably in the living room." He gave her a quick kiss and thanked Bella.

Jacob didn't say anything until the bathroom door closed. "Okay, what do you have to say?" he asked keeping his voice low. He could hear Bella and Evie talking.

"There's a book that has all of our tribe stories," Paul said in a low voice before opening the bedroom door. "Kathy wrote them all down. There are even drawings of the wolves." He checked the hallway and nodded when Dave waved. They were heading towards the living room. "There are some more things but right now I don't have the time to explain everything." He closed the door when Jacob walked out into the hallway.

"My dad told me Kathy knew of the stories," Jacob said looking around. "But I don't think even he knew she written them all down." He rubbed the back of his neck. "What else aren't you telling me?" He stared at Paul waiting for an answer.

"Your great grandfather imprinted on Evie and Bella' great grandmother," Paul explained. He knew it was a shock for Jacob but it was the truth.

Jacob moved back until his back hit the wall. "Are you sure?" he asked in shock. "My dad never said anything about it." He looked at Evie's door, making sure it was closed.

"Look, I was going to tell you when we got back to La Push," Paul stated. "But Kathy knows about imprinting." He saw the shocked look on Jacob's face but it quickly changed.

"How the hell could you tell her?" Jacob hissed. "You haven't even told Evie." He ran his hand down his face. Damn it! Leave it to Lahote to mess everything up. Sam and the council were going to kill Paul for telling an outsider.

"I didn't tell her," Paul snapped back making sure to keep his voice low. "She knew about imprinting from the diary her grandmother kept." His hands were in fists and he was slightly shaking. He took a long deep breath and tried to relax for Evie's sake.

"Where's the diary?" Jacob asked. He could hear Evie's friends in the living room. They were debating which movie to watch.

"It's in my room but I think we should wait until we have more time to go over everything," Paul said. "I know this is a shock, trust me, I was floored when Kathy explained it." He ran his hand down his face.

"I want to read everything before Bella sees it," Jacob stated. "How the hell did my great grandfather imprint if he was the Alpha of the Pack and Tribe? Old Quil told both of us the Alpha wouldn't imprint." He could hear Bella telling Evie she wanted to change her clothes. "Since we're sharing a room, I'll look over the stuff tonight. My dad will want to know about this too." He would call his dad after he read everything. Old Quil had a lot of explaining to do.

Paul nodded as he bumped fist with Jacob. "The girls are about to come out," Paul said taking a step back. When he saw Evie his heart quickened. He gave her a small smile. Her eyes were slightly red but she had a big smile on her face.

"Just what a girl needs," Evie said looking at Paul and Jacob. "Two good looking guys standing outside her door, but sorry Jacob, Paul is my first choice." She patted Jacob on the chest before taking Paul's hand. Jacob rolled his eyes and laughed as he threw his arm over Bella's shoulders. "But I'm sure you prefer a brunette with chocolate brown eyes," she said over her shoulder.

"You know me so well," Jacob laughed. He let them go ahead of them before pulling Bella back. "How is she?" He rubbed Bella's arms. He still couldn't believe they were together.

"She's okay, worried about her mom of course," Bella answered enjoying the warmth of Jacob's hands. "Paul is a big help even if he doesn't know it." She moved her hand over his cheek. "Mitchell is close to losing her. I think after today, her relationship with him is almost done. Derek has always been more of a father to Evie. I think that will help with everything that is going on." Jacob kissed her forehead.

"That explains why Derek had your dad bring those documents," Jacob said as they slowly walked to the living room. "I was going to tell Paul but I didn't think it was right to tell him before Derek had a chance to tell Evie." They walked into the living to find Paul and Evie lying down on the couch with Toby and Jerry leaning against it.

Bella walked over to the other couch and sat down. Jacob had a smirk on his face as he picked her up and moved her so they were lying down with her back against his chest. He kissed her cheek when she began to blush.

"We put 'The Sandlot' on," Dave said. He was sitting on the oversized chair. "Rex is getting the popcorn." He knew this was probably the last time they would all be together. He overheard Derek telling his parents, he and Evie were moving.

"What's wrong Dave?" Evie asked. She was leaning on her elbow. His eyes looked so sad. She felt Paul tighten his hold around her waist as he pulled her closer to him.

"Nothing short stuff," Dave said giving her a small smile.

"Are we surfing tomorrow morning?" Tank asked. He was lying on the floor with his head turned to look at Dave. "I think we should get Paul and Jacob out on the waves." He looked at Jacob and then at Paul. "It would be an interesting morning." He laughed as he turned to watch the movie.

"I think Tank just challenged us," Paul scoffed as he lifted his head to look at Jacob.

"I think your right," Jacob smirked. He was leaning on his elbow. "We accept the challenge and will see you in the morning." He kissed Bella's neck as he snuggled closer to her.

Rex walked in with a couple of bowls of popcorn. He handed the bowls out and no said a word. He took a seat and settled in to watch the movie. The tension in the air was almost electric as he looked around. He overheard Derek, Marshall and Charlie talking about Mitchell. The moment that guy shows up, it's always trouble.

Evie gave Paul a kiss before getting up. She needed to know what was happening with her mom. Paul grabbed her hand before she even took a step. She rolled her eyes when he gave her a look. It basically said you're not going anywhere without me. She intertwined their fingers as he tapped Jacob on the shoulder.

"We'll be back," Paul said. They walked down the hall to Kathy's room.

"I want to check on my mom before talking to Derek," Evie explained as she quietly opened her mom's door.

The room was dark and Valisa was sitting on the recliner humming. She was knitting a sweater as she gently rocked back and forth. Evie pulled Paul into the room but he stayed against the door.

"How's she doing?" Evie asked. She stood next to the bed and moved her hand over her mom's forehead.

"She's been a sleep the entire time," Valisa replied. "You need to rest too." She put her knitting down and looked at Evie.

"I tried to get her to watch a movie," Paul said. "But she needed to check on Kathy." He pushed away from the door. He stood next to Evie.

"She was so agitated and uncomfortable when my dad was in here," Evie leaned against Paul. His warmth helped relax her. "I don't know how much more she can take. This damn disease it taking her away so slowly, it's just not fair." She wiped at a tear and took a deep breath.

"Sugar," Valisa said. "The Lord has his own plan and there is nothing we can do but follow him." She got up and stood on the other side of the bed. "Love never dies baby girl."

"I know," Evie sighed. She held her mom's hand and rubbed circles on the top of her hand.

Valisa sat back down and began to hum again. Paul pulled the other chair closer to the bed. He sat down and pulled Evie back until she sat on his lap. He moved her hair away from her face. She held her mom's hand as she leaned back against him. He ran his hand up and down her back.

For the first Evie felt completely relaxed. Valisa began to sing the song she was humming. It reminded Evie of her childhood. The song Valisa sang always made her feel safe. She felt her eyelids getting heavy but she couldn't go to sleep just yet. She was still holding her mom's hand.

Paul gently loosened Evie and Kathy's hands. He leaned Evie against him. When he glanced down, she was asleep. Being near her mom was what she needed to finally rest.

Valisa smiled when she looked at Evie and Paul. "Why don't you stay with her until she wakes up?" she suggested as she got up to open the door for him.

"I will," Paul whispered, not wanting to wake Evie up. He made his way down the hall and entered her room.

He moved Bella's suitcase to the roll away bed. When he placed Evie on the bed she opened her eyes and smiled. He kissed her forehead and lay down next to her. She wrapped her arm around his waist and snuggled close to him. He let her scent surround them before closing his eyes. He knew the next few days were going to get worse but at least they had these last few hours of peace.

* * *

><p>"Your father can't change the custody agreement," Debra Steele stated. She was a bit frustrated as she looked at the petition Mitchell filed the day before. "Sorry, I didn't mean to come off so-."<p>

"Bitchy," Paul muttered. He caught Evie's hand before she hit his arm. "Sorry," he quickly said with an apologetic smile.

Charlie gave him a look. He shook his head and tried not to stare at the beautiful blonde attorney. The moment he saw her, his mouth didn't seem to work. He nodded when she looked his way and waved. He felt like a high school geek crushing on the popular girl.

Debra bit her bottom lip to keep from reply with a nasty comment. She looked at the young man with a raised eyebrow. Evie picked a cutie but he's going to be a handful. "You get to use that word once," she said with a laugh. She looked back at the petition.

"Since I was appointed Evie's guardian," Derek open the file in front of him. He looked at Evie and looked at Debra. "My fear is Mitchell will find a sympathetic judge who will grant him custody. I know the probability of it happening is small but I can't lose my daughter." He placed his head in his hands. He knew he sounded scared but the thought of losing Evie and Kathy at the same time was too much for him. He looked up when he felt a hand on his arm. Evie was looking at him with tears in her eyes.

"Derek the chances of Mitchell gaining custody are below zero," Debra explained. "The fact that he's an absent father with minimal involvement in his daughter's life works in our favor. Your brother-in-law," she looked at Charlie and winked. "Being in law enforcement is a huge plus for us, has given testimony verifying Mitchell's lack of parental existence not to mention the agreement between Mitchell and Kathy of Evie living in Forks after her death." She placed the papers she had been looking at down. "You are respecting her wishes by not just allowing Evie to live in Forks with her only blood relatives, you bought a house there ensuring Evie still has the one man who has been a father to her," she stated. "That is you Derek." She leaned across the table and tapped Derek in the forehead. "I know what's at stake. Don't let Mitchell's pathetic threats get to you." She sat back and picked up the papers.

"You bought a house in Forks," Evie asked in shock. She knew her parents agreed to her living in Forks with Charlie and Bella but she hadn't given much thought about it.

"Of course," Derek replied confused. "Is that okay?" He held her hand in both of his. "I was wanted to talk to you and Kathy but then Mitchell showed up."

"I knew about living with Uncle Charlie after…mom," she answered. "I haven't thought about it honestly. I've been concentrating on mom." She wiped away the tears that fell. "Debra was right though, you are my dad." She placed her other on top of his. "Thank you, dad." Derek leaned forward and kissed the top of her hand.

"Anytime shorty," he said as a lump appeared in his throat.

"Sly bastard," Debra hissed. Everyone turned to look at her. "Apparently he hasn't seen the latest change to the Swan-Smith Trust or the McIntyre Trust." She placed a document on the table and pushed it towards Derek. "He not only is asking for custody but he is requesting you be removed as the Trustee for both Trusts." She reached into her briefcase and pulled out a folder.

"Your dad is requesting he replace Derek," Paul said as he re-read the petition. "Umm...what are these trusts?" he asked looking confused.

Evie turned towards him. He took her hand. "The McIntyre Trust was sent up after my grandfather's first heart attack. He wanted to take care of his grandchild, me, but if my parents had more kids then the Trust would be split equally," she explained. "Now that we know I have an older brother out there, the trust is being split. The Swan-Smith Trust is the one my mom setup."

"Evie gets partial access to both trusts at age eighteen and full access at age twenty-one," Debra stated. "The only exception of course is college expenses. Since she will start college before she's eighteen her trustee will issue checks on her behalf." She started tapping her fingers.

Paul hadn't thought about Evie's future plans. He only thought of one day having kids with her but never gave a thought about college. He looked at her as she listened to Debra and Derek talk. She didn't feel the imprint like he did. He would follow her anywhere but being on reservation was his life. He was a protector. He couldn't expect her to give her plans and stay with him. "I need some air." He gave Evie a small smile and headed towards the front door.

"Where did Paul go?" Jacob asked pointing to the front door.

"I don't know. He said he needed air and left," Evie replied. She stood up but Jacob shook his head.

"I'll find him," Jacob said. "Be back in a few." He waved before leaving.

"Evie, it'll be okay," Derek said still holding her hand. "Why don't you check on your mom while Debra and I finish up?"

"I'll go with you," Charlie offered as he walked ahead of her.

"Okay," Evie said. She pulled out a note her mom had given her a few days ago. "Umm…Derek, mom gave me this and I want to make sure we honor her request." She handed him the note.

"Are you sure it's okay to read?" Derek asked. "She gave it to you shorty." Evie nodded and Derek opened it. He smiled looking at Kathy's writing.

_Evie,_

_I have a simple request baby girl. I want to see the sunrise with you and Derek next to me. I want you both to always remember that every morning I start the day with you. My speech is slowing down but the day will come when I won't be able to communicate. When that unfortunate day comes, remember I love you both. I can't ask for time, it's out of my hands but I can ask for one more sunrise._

_Love,_

_Mom_

Derek took a deep shaky breath. "I'm not ready to let go," he said in a low voice.

"I know," Evie replied. "But it's something we need to do for her." He nodded before turning away. There was nothing left to do except be there for her mom and Derek. She gave Derek a hug.

Charlie sat by Kathy's bed and held her hand. He tried to say something but instead the dam broke. Everything he was holding in came out. He cried for his sister, who deserved so much but instead was being taken away too soon. The memories of a young Kathy with pigtails running around as he chased her flashed before his eyes. He didn't know how to let her go.

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><p><strong>Thank you for the great reviews. Also thanks for everyone that is following the story and for making it one of your favorites.<strong>

**Thanks,**

**india8**


	14. Chapter 14

***I don't own any of the characters from Twilight. They belong to Stephenie Meyer. I only own the original characters in this story.**

**A/N: Sorry for not updating sooner. Real Life has kicked my butt lately. **

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><p>Chapter 14<p>

It didn't take Jacob long to find Paul. His wolf's sense of smell could be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on the situation. He walked up the pier with his hands in his pockets. The sunset looked amazing from here as it reflected off the water. He definitely was bringing Bella next time.

"Leave me alone Baby Alpha," Paul snapped when he caught Jacob's scent. "I'm not in the mood to talk." He was leaning against the rail with his hands clasped tight.

There were several people around the pier that took a couple of steps away from them. Jacob was use to people gawking at him, being six-five had that effect on people. He ignored Paul and leaned against the railing.

"I can't," Jacob said looking out at the ocean. It smelled different than back home. "I told Evie I would look for you." He looked sideways at Paul. "Besides, if things keep going as they are with Bella and Evie, we will be family. So what's bothering you?"

Paul shook his head and avoided eye contact with Jacob. Unfortunately he locked eyes with a blonde hair girl who had no problem checking him or Jacob out. He turned and looked at the ocean. That didn't help either it just reminded him of Evie. The way her body moved when she surfed. Hell this damn pier still carried her scent. It was faint but it was still there.

"If it's the money thing," Jacob didn't take his eyes off Paul. "Get over it. There is nothing either of you can do about it." He sensed when Paul was about to take a swing at him. He took a few quick steps away from his Pack Brother to avoid the right hook heading towards him.

"Asshole," Paul hissed before clasping his hands again. "You have no fucking idea how it feels to know your girlfriend deserves someone who can give her anything she wants. I can barely afford to buy her a can of soda." He kept his head down. The guilt of knowing he wasn't good enough hit him hard.

"You're not the only one who thinks their girlfriend deserves more," Jacob bite back. "The damn leech could have bought Bella everything she would ever want or need. But in the end the only thing that matter was we loved each other." He turned to fully face him. "Evie loves you and your acting like it means nothing." He ignored the girls standing a few feet away. He was use to girls staring at him.

"She only loves me because of the imprint," Paul reluctantly confessed.

"Evie has no clue about the fucking imprinting, thanks to you not telling her," Jacob shot back. "She still loves you. But you on the other hand feel the imprint and the pull to her."

Paul lifted his head and glared and him. "The imprint didn't make me fall in love with Evie," he voice shook with anger. "It pointed me in the right direction. Being with her is so much more than Sam and Jared have ever experienced. Imprinting on her is different than what we've seen through the pack mind." He was in Jacob's face. Having him question whether he loved Evie pissed him off. They stared at each other for a few moments.

"I'll give you that one," Jacob commented taking a step back. He rubbed the back of his neck. "Bella noticed something was different with you and Evie. It wasn't like the other two imprints." He smiled thinking of Bella.

"Your one to talk," Paul snapped. "You haven't said shit to Bella about the Alpha not imprinting. But then again after hearing about your guys' great grandparents maybe it's better that you didn't." He looked at Jacob and ran his hand down his face. "When did you tell her?"

"The night before we left and thanks for not calling her leech lover or any of your usual fucked up names," Jacob sighed heavily. "Shit, this entire thing is messing every single one of us up." He was tapping his foot against the bottom of the railing when he heard a cracking noise. "Fuck," he hissed.

Paul looked down and smirked. "I thought you were supposed to keep me from doing anything stupid," he laughed. "Let's go before you bring down the entire pier." He smacked Jacob on the back.

"I can just imagine Sam's face if that were to happen," Jacob said. He looked at Paul and they both laughed. They bumped fists as they walked down the pier.

"Evie told me she planned on moving back to Forks after college," Paul said as he glanced at Jacob.

"Yeah, I remember when we were kids," Jacob stated. "She was going to teach at the reservation. Billy told her when she was old enough he would help her." They stopped at the end of the pier.

"What if she goes to college and realizes that being on the reservation with a poor guy who will never amount to anything and isn't worthy of her so she dumps me?" Paul asked.

Jacob looked out towards the setting sun. The ocean breeze moved around them. He knew at one point the guys felt they weren't good enough for their imprints. The pain Leah had to go through because of the imprint wasn't fair either. He questioned whether he could give Bella a good life. But in the end they could have a happy life together.

"You know every one of us wanted to get off that reservation at one point but now we're stuck there as protectors," Paul ran his hand through his hair. He noticed the girls from the pier were a few feet away.

Jacob noticed them too. He turned his back on them. "Did you ever think that maybe, just maybe you feel this way because Evie hasn't felt the imprint?" he asked.

Paul didn't respond. He looked away. The girls from the pier were slowly inching closer to them. "We're not interested," he snapped at them before turning away. "What other words of wisdom do you have Baby Alpha?"

"Even if Evie never feels the imprint, I seriously doubt her feelings for you will change," Jacob remarked. He punched Paul in the arm.

"Thanks, man," Paul replied. Maybe they could actually get along without punching each other.

"Unless she decides to give Seth a chance," Jacob laughed as he took off running.

"You're fucking dead Black," Paul shouted as he took off after him. On second thought he's going to beat the hell out of him.

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><p>The sound of the waves crashing as sea gulls flew around the pier made the morning even better. The sun was still beyond the horizon which didn't matter with the overcast skies giving the ocean a calm eerie look. The guys kept their promise and had Jacob and Paul out in the water. There weren't a lot of people out.<p>

"Is there anything those two can't do?" Evie asked. She wrapped the blanket closer to her body. Paul was paddling out after riding a decent wave. Jacob was in the middle of his second wave.

Bella laughed at the look on her cousin's face. "They do make it look easy," she said moving closer to her. "I have to say, Jacob looks like the sun moving along the waves." She bit her lip thinking of their early morning make out session. Being in a house full of people cuts the romance short.

"If you get any redder," Evie laughed. "You're going to look like the sun sitting in the sand." She bumped Bella's shoulder. "How are things with you and Mr. Black?"

"Great," Bella gushed. "He's so amazing. I mean I knew he was great before but after finally admitting my feelings out loud, it's been incredible." She could feel her cheeks hurting from the smile which felt like a permanent fixture on her face when it came to Jacob.

"Not to be a killjoy but," Evie let her voice trail off. She didn't want to mention his name.

"When I told him," Bella said knowing who Evie was talking about. "He didn't take it well. But in the end I didn't let him manipulate me like he always did." She looked out towards the ocean.

"At least you finally admitted to yourself he manipulated you," Evie indicated.

"I know," Bella admitted. "Standing up to him made me feel confident for the first time in my life. But it was Jacob's confidence in me that gave me the courage to stand on my own." She turned to look at Evie. "I never felt worthy of them. In my mind I felt like they were too good for me but Jacob always told me it wasn't true." She felt tears pushing forward but she took a deep breath and pushed them back.

"If you don't want to talk about it," Evie quickly said. She never meant to upset her.

"No, I want to talk about it," Bella said confidently. She took Evie's hand. "The day we went to talk to Edward, Jacob kissed my hand and said I was stronger than I gave myself credit for. It was like a switch was flipped on and I believed him. Jacob stood back and let me talk without interrupting. It was the most incredible feeling, being able to stand up for myself and being in control of my own future." She wiped a tear away but had a huge smile on her face.

"I am so proud of you," Evie smiled before giving Bella a hug. "You have always been strong but you couldn't see it." She pulled away. "I bet Billy and Charlie were happy. They always wanted you two together." She reached into her bag and pulled out a couple of bottles of water.

"They are such girls," Bella said with a small laugh. She accepted the bottle of water. "Now Charlie has rules about how often Jacob can visit and we cannot be alone. He or Billy must be present at all times." She took a drink of her water.

"So Billy gives you guys alone time," Evie stated laughing.

Bella laughed. "Yeah," she looked around. "Plus it helped considering, you know." Her voice was low and her cheeks were slightly red.

"Oh, please tell me you used protection?" Evie asked.

"Of course," Bella answered. "We had to umm…buy a couple of boxes." She turned even redder but the sly smile she had made them both laugh.

"That happen to us," Evie said still laughing. "He stocked up after that." She looked out towards the ocean, she had a weird feeling Paul was watching her. "I swear," she said smiling as she looked out at the guys surfing. She knew exactly which one was Paul. "It's like I can tell when he is looking at me." She looked at Bella. "I like knowing we have that connection." She pulled the blanket closer.

"Hey, I was wondering if umm…," Bella didn't know how to ask her cousin a question. She wanted to ask Emily or Kim but it felt too personal to ask them. "Have you ever passed out?" she asked looking around to make sure no one was around. She was hoping Jacob couldn't hear their conversation.

They both looked out towards the guys but they couldn't see Jacob or Paul. Dave and Tank were riding the same wave and doing something with their hands and arms. They did a quick check of the beach but they were the only ones except a few people who were heading towards the pier. It was still early in the morning. The sky was still dark blue almost purple.

"Are you talking about," Evie lowered her voice, "over stimulation of a certain part of the female body?" she asked pointing down.

"Yes," Bella sighed in relief. "I thought I was the only one. It freaked me out after I woke up. Jacob had this…huge." She was moving her hands around.

"Big ass grin," Evie supplied with a shake of her head.

Bella nodded. "Yes, thank you. It was so annoying and he thinks it's perfectly fine," she scoffed.

"At first I thought it was a Paul thing but now that I know it happen to you I'm thinking it's an Indian thing," Evie commented.

"What part of the body are you girls talking about?" Paul asked as he dropped down next to Evie. She had a shocked look on her face. She quickly reached into the bag and handed him a towel.

"What's a Paul or Indian thing?" Jacob asked as he sat next to Bella. He planted a kiss on her lips and then laughed at her expression.

Paul kissed Evie. "It's probably how handsome I am and too bad more of the tribe isn't as good looking as me," he smiled and kissed her again. He nuzzled her neck, enjoying the taste of her skin. Damn, he wanted her.

Jacob laughed and put his arm around Bella. "I've been told I'm beautiful," he said happily. He kissed Bella's neck. "Most men don't like being called that but from you it's a compliment." He knew she loved when he talked close to her ear. The bass of his voice had her breathing a little heavier and her heartbeat quickened.

"That's because you're a pussy," Paul quipped. He had his arm around Evie's waist.

"Paul," Evie scolded with a pat to his chest. Damn, he looked good wet with no shirt on. She looked up at him as her hand rested on his chest. "Do you really have to use that word?"

"You didn't mind me using that word before," Paul said taking a nip at her bottom lip. "As a matter of fact you loved when I said it as I thrust in -."

"Okay," Evie shouted as she put her hand over Paul's mouth. She gave him a look but he smiled and flicked his tongue against her palm. She rolled her eyes as she moved her hand away from his mouth. He caught he hand and kissed it. "It looks like someone will be taking cold showers for a while." He glared at her but it didn't faze her.

"So what were you girls talking about?" Paul asked wrapping his arms around Evie.

Evie avoided eye contact and looked for the other guys. They were still in the water taking turns riding a wave except every once and a while Dave and Tank would ride the same wave. That would be an argument later.

"Bells," Jacob said looking at her. She avoided eye contact as well.

"Evie," Paul caressed her cheek as her face turned red.

"Okay," Evie finally said. "It was about passing out during, you know." She looked at him and motioned with her eyes to the area she was talking about.

Jacob laughed for a few seconds. "How many times?" he asked looking at Paul.

"Twice," Paul answered. He looked apologetically at Evie.

"Four," Jacob said proudly. They bumped fists and laughed.

"Great," Bella remarked. "Now his ego will be bigger than he is." She placed her head in her hands.

"It must be good if Bella is red," Toby laughed as he stood his board up. He noticed the glare from Jacob. "But it is definitely none of my business." He saluted Jacob and dropped down next to Evie.

"Who are Rex and Tank trying to impress?" Evie asked handing Toby a towel. She leaned against Paul and smiled as his warmth surrounded her.

"Julie Gibbs showed up," Toby answered. He unzipped his wetsuit and pulled it down to his waist. "But she had her eye on a different piece of meat." He looked at Paul. Dave and Jerry stood their boards up and grabbed some towels.

"She was the one from the pier yesterday," Paul said letting out a frustrated breath.

"Yeah," Jacob said sourly. "There was another girl with her." He looked at Bella. "I told you about them yesterday." He pulled her closer to him.

"Julie must think you're in college," Evie explained. "She only dates college guys. These guys," she said gesturing to Toby and Jerry. "Have tried for years to get Julie to notice them but she isn't interested in 'Little Boys'." She playfully hit Toby when he shook his hair at her. The droplets of water rained over her and Paul.

"I was never interested in Julie," Dave pointed out with a smirk on his face. He pulled his wetsuit down to his waist and took the towel Jerry threw him. "While it was more like after freshman year I wasn't interested." He laughed at Tank as he walked up and flipped him off.

"How did Jacob and Paul do?" Bella asked. She leaned back into Jacob. He's arms were completely wrapped around her.

"I have to admit, they surprised me. They handled the waves like pros," Tank replied with a big smile. He tossed Rex a towel.

"Speaking of pros," Dave muttered. He jerked his head to the right.

Everyone turned to see Julie Gibbs and Ava Martinez walking towards them in their wetsuits with their hair pulled in ponytails. They both had smiles on their faces. Julie had her eyes on the tanned guy next to Evie. His dark eyes were on her. She lowered her eyes and licked her top lip. Ava was staring at the other tanned guy with his arm around some brunette. She winked at him when he finally looked her way. Julie whispered to Ava as they stood before the small group.

"Hey fellas," Julie said looking around. "I remember you two from the pier yesterday. How are you? I'm Julie Gibbs and this is Ava Martinez." She twirled her finger around the end of her ponytail.

"Julie," Dave began with an evil smile. Evie looked at him and shook her head. "Fine," he grumbled angrily as he got up. "Julie, Ava, this is Paul Lahote and Jacob Black. As you can see they are dating Evie and her cousin Bella." He gestured to the couples.

"Hi Paul, it's nice to put a name to the face," Julie walked over to him and held out her hand.

Paul glared at her. "Yeah I remember you," he scoffed as he put his shirt on. "My answer is the same as yesterday, not interested." He stood up and reached for Evie. "Come on babe, the air just became polluted." He wrapped his arm around Evie and rested his hand on her hip.

"Let's go Bells," Jacob said as soon as Ava took a step in his direction. He put his shirt on as he stood up. "Paul's right." He kissed Bella when she stood up. He leaned down and whispered in her ear. She gave both girls a dirty look as she wrapped her arm around him.

"We'll see you guys later," Paul called over his shoulder. He was carrying the duffle bag of towels and water along with the surf board he used. He never let go of Evie. Hearing those two bitches making comments about Kathy dying almost made him go off on them but Evie didn't need him losing it.

"Later," the guys called out. They waved at the couples before turning to look at Julie and Ava.

Evie glanced back to see Dave and Julie get into each other's faces. She rolled her eyes as she turned away. Those two are just like Toby and Jenny. They either need to stay away from each other or have another round of sex. She could sense some anger coming from Paul. She wanted to ask him about it but she decided to wait until he was a bit calmer.

They walked back to the house in silence. A sun ray broke through a gape in the clouds. The sky was turning more of a grayish blue as a few more sun rays shot out of the overcast sky. As they rounded the corner and headed down Evie's street, Bella's phone rang. Evie tightened her hold on Paul. A cold shiver ran down her spin as a blinding light hit her eyes at the same time a low growl immersed from Paul and Jacob.

Paul immediately turned to cover Evie with his body. Anger coursed through him faster than he expected. His entire body was shaking. He felt her wrap both arms around him and squeeze tightly. He stopped shaking when it hit him how scared she was.

Jacob had Bella behind him as soon as he smelled him. Bella's phone was still ringing as she pulled it out of her pocket. "Answer it," Jacob stated as he looked straight ahead.

"Alice," Bella said harshly.

"I'm sorry Bella," Alice began to apologize. "With you being with him, it was hard to see anything until this moment." She looked at Rosalie who threw her hands in the air. "Carlisle and Emmett should be there soon. I'm really sorry Bella." She looked at the phone when it clicked.

"Take Evie inside," Jacob whispered. "Paul and I will deal with him." He gave her a kiss as Bella held him close.

"Please make it quick. I don't like having him here, near my family," Bella pleaded as she stared up at him. He nodded as he opened the small white gate that led to the front door.

"Babe, go with Bella," Paul lifted her chin to look at her. She tried to say something but he cut her off. "Please, I promise to explain but right now I need you to go without asking any questions." She pulled his face down to hers and kissed him hard.

"Okay," she said before taking Bella's hand and walking inside.

"I know you can hear me bloodsucker," Jacob hissed.

Jacob and Paul took off following his scent. He let every single memory of him and Bella flash through his mind. He was tired of letting the leech interfere with his relationship. It didn't take them long to find him leaning against a black Mercedes. The filthy leech had a smirk on his face.

"All your little fantasies may be unpleasant to stomach," Edward said trying to keep his voice even. "But Bella would never give herself to you. She has morals and standards." He uncrossed his arms and held his hands in fists by his side.

"You don't know Bella at all," Jacob spit out. "That explains why she left your pathetic ass." He took a few steps forward, closing the gap between them. He towered over his nemesis. "By the way, they weren't fantasies." He smiled knowing he got under the leech's thick skin.

The loud crashing sound of their bodies colliding set off car alarms. Paul tried to separate them but he couldn't loosen Jacob's grip around Edwards's throat. They all turned when they heard the sound of feet pounding against the pavement.

Dave and Toby stopped a few feet away from Paul, Jacob and some guy they've never seen. They could see Paul trying to dislodge Jacob's hand from around some pale looking guy. They rushed over to Jacob and tried to pull him away from the other guy.

"Damn dude," Toby yelled as he pushed against Jacob. "Fuck your strong." He let out a heavy breath.

Jacob struggled to hold on but they eventually pulled him away. Dave and Toby were on either side of him holding an arm while Paul stood between him and the leech.

"You okay Jacob," Dave asked staring at the pale guy in front of a shaking Paul.

"Leave Cullen," Jacob shouted. "You come near Bella again and this won't end well for you." He glared at his enemy with hatred in his eyes. He felt Dave and Toby loosen their hold on him.

Irritation was written all over Edward's face. He was fuming at having been interrupted by these human kids. He ignored the dog in front of him. "It's Bella's choice, not yours Black," he stated angrily. He tried to compose himself when he caught Charlie's scent.

"Edward, you stay the hell away from my daughter," Charlie furiously ordered. "You're lucky your father called or else I would have you thrown in jail for stalking. He wants you back at your hotel." He stood in front of the kid who did nothing but hurt his daughter. "Now," he said through clenched teeth.

Inside Edward was raging but he straightened his clothes and tried to remember his manners towards Charlie for Bella's sake. "Please excuse my behavior," he began, falling back to his controlled self. "I wanted to see Bella and I now know I should have called ahead. Once again please excuse this unannounced visit. I never meant to cause any problems for you or your family during your time of grieving." He gave Charlie a small smile and got in his car and left.

"Who the hell talks like that?" Toby asked as he watched the black Mercedes leave.

"I should have let you knock him out just for talking like that," Dave said shaking his head. "What an asshole," he snapped as Charlie turned around. "Sorry sir, but he really is one." He shrugged his shoulders and gave a sheepish smile.

"It's okay," Charlie turned to Paul and Jacob. "We've had enough drama at the house this morning, now this. Let's head back." He placed his hand on Jacob's shoulder. "Next time knock him on his pompous ass." He gave Jacob a knowing look.

"Anything you say Chief," Jacob smiled. They were heading to the house when Paul turned to look at Charlie.

"What do you mean about drama at the house?" he had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"Everything is fine now but Mitchell showed up just at the girls walked into the house. It got a bit heated between Derek and Mitchell," Charlie explained. He saw the look in Paul's eyes. "Evie is fine. But I can't say the same for Mitchell." He had a big smile on his face.

They walked through the little gate and headed up the walkway. The house was quiet but once they entered they were hit with the smell of bacon and eggs. Paul took a deep breath and headed towards Evie's room.

Jacob bumped fists with Dave and Toby. He thanked them for helping out with Edward. They had questions about what happen. He explained about Edward being Bella's ex and he was finding it hard to let go. They talked a bit more about surfing before heading to the living room.

Paul slowly opened Evie's door. She was in her closet moving clothes around angrily. Bella was on the bed and turned when she heard the door. She shook her head at Paul and got up.

"She's not in a good mood," she quietly said. "Where's Ja-." She walked by Paul and into Jacob's waiting arms. "I was so worried and then the guys and my dad took off." She buried her face in his chest.

"Shh, it's okay honey," he said trying to reassure her. "Come on, I'll tell you everything that happen." He bumped fist with Paul and lead Bella down the hall.

Paul walked in the room and leaned against the closet door. "Looks like we both had people to deal with this morning," he watched her continue to look through her clothes.

"Yeah," she sighed in frustration. "Bella told me about stalker Edward." She turned around and wrapped her arms around his waist. "She tried to hide it but she was scared." He held her close and kissed the top of her head.

"You were upset too," he pointed out. He walked them over to the bed and pulled her on to his lap. "Talk to me." He lifted her chin.

"As soon as we walked into the house Bella began to fidget," she said. "I held her hand and she explained about Alice calling to warn her about Edward but of course it was too late. Then my dad showed up and wanted to know why I didn't call him back." She moved closer to him.

"When did he call you?" he asked rubbing her back.

"That was the thing," she replied. "There were no missed calls on my phone or the house phone. He accused Derek of trying to keep him away from me and then he mentioned something else but I have no clue what he was talking about." They heard Valisa announcing breakfast was ready. "Watching how scared Bella was and the way my dad was acting. I kind of lost it and yelled." She bit her bottom lip.

"What do you mean by lost it?" he asked looking at her.

"I got in between Derek and my dad," she avoided looking at him. His hot breath moved along her neck as he grumbled. "I told Derek to stop arguing with my dad and check on my mom. Then I turned to look at my dad's smug face and told him to get the hell out. If he ever showed up again without calling first, I would personal call the police and enforce the restraining order." She was looking at her hands and twisting her fingers.

"Next time," he said, cupping her face and forcing her to look at him. "Walk away. If something happen to you, I will not be responsible for my actions." She cupped his face.

"Okay," she responded. "I have to get ready and meet my dad." She kissed him but he held her in place.

His hands dropped down to wrap around her waist. She wrapped her arms around his neck and moaned when he nibbled on her bottom lip. His hand moved under her shirt, rubbing her back as his other hand moved along her thigh. She leaned back and pulled him with her. They didn't waste time as they moved up the bed. He was half on top of her as she ran her leg down his.

He pressed his body against hers. Her full breasts felt incredible against his chest. She moved her hands under his shirt and followed the contours of his chest muscles. He broke the kiss to remove his shirt. When she pulled him back, her kisses were full of hunger. A low growl travelled threw his chest. He needed her; he needed to feel her wrapped around him. He kissed along her jaw and down her neck until he reached the top of her breasts.

Her scent surrounded him. Her heartbeat echoed in his ears. The little moan that passed her luscious lips made him throb and ache for her. He was completely distracted by her as she ran her fingers through his hair and breathlessly said his name. When the door opened he silently cursed himself for getting caught.

"Oh," Valisa gasped as she covered her eyes. "Umm…breakfast is ready." She turned around and held the door.

"Auntie Val," Evie exclaimed and she tried to get off the bed. Paul grabbed his shirt and pulled it on as he stood next to her. "Sorry, it's not what you think." She could feel the heat from her cheeks.

"You can turn around," Paul mumbled as he put an arm around Evie's shoulders.

Valisa turned around. "Paul, sugar, would you give us a moment," she asked.

"Valisa, I'm sorry. We weren't doing anything," he said moving forward.

"I was young once," Valisa replied. She placed her hand on his cheek. "I trust you sugar. Go on get some breakfast." She kissed his cheek and closed the door after he walked out.

"Auntie, I am so sorry. We just got caught up in the moment," Evie had her arm wrapped around her mid-section while she used her other hand to talk.

"Sweetie," Valisa sighed as she took a seat on the bed. She patted the spot next to her. "I know your mother had the talk with you. So I will spare you the whole speech of waiting and all that other stuff." She gave her a smile. "Are you being safe?" she asked holding Evie's hand.

"I won't lie to you," Evie answered. "We used protected every time we were together." She looked away. It was embarrassing having this conversation with your grandmother but at least it was her and not Derek.

"Good," Valisa patted Evie's hand. "I think the best thing to do is put you on the pill."

Evie had a shocked look on her face when she lifted her head up. "What?" she asked. There was no way she heard correctly.

"Sweetie," Valisa laughed. "If you are sexy active, then you need to do the responsible thing." She moved Evie's hair behind her shoulder.

"Thank you Auntie," Evie said as tears blurred her vision.

"I'm probably not the one you want to talk to about this but I'm here," Valisa promised. She wiped the tears the fell down Evie's cheeks.

"I wish...I could talk to…my mom," Evie cried. Sobs escaped as she tried to talk. She held on to Valisa as she cried.

"I know sweetie," Valisa tried not to cry and stay strong but it was too much. She wasn't losing a friend or a daughter in-law, she was losing a daughter.

They held each other as they cried. The moment hit them hard. They knew it was just a matter of time and they would have to say good bye. It was the first honest cry for both of them.

* * *

><p>Mitchell finished his coffee and looked at his daughter. For the last hour and a half, she stared out the window after ordering a bagel and ice tea. Any type of communication he tried was met with a shrug or nod. He sighed in frustration as she continued to act as if he wasn't there. He motioned for the waitress to bring their check.<p>

"Sir is there anything else I can get you," the young waitress asked.

"Nothing for me," Mitchell replied. "Evie would like anything else?" He watched his daughter looked at the waitress with a polite smile on her face and shook her head no. She went back to looking at the window.

"Very well," the waitress smiled. She placed a dark brown envelope sized folder on the edge to the table. "Have a wonderful day." She nodded and walked away.

"You haven't said more than five words to me cubby," Mitchell stated as he pulled out his wallet. He put the money and tip in the folder. He tried to reach for his daughter's hand but she pulled away.

Evie continued to look out the window. The words she wanted to say would be impolite and she doubted her mother would approve. She took a steady breath. "Thank you for breakfast. I will see you next week," she stated with a fake smile. She stood up and walked away from the table.

Mitchell quickened his pace as he reached Evie as she walked out the door. "Hey," he said slightly out of breath. "That's it, you have nothing to say." He held her arm firmly to keep her from leaving.

"What do you want me to say?" she asked looking away.

"Anything," he said bitterly. "I'm your father. I deserve something after the way acted this morning." He was trying to keep his anger contained.

Paul jogged across the street and stood behind Evie. "Mitchell," he said. He wrapped his arm around Evie and pulled her against him, forcing Mitchell to release Evie's arm. "Looks like your visitation is over and we have to go." He took a few steps backwards until they turned around.

Mitchell cut them off. "You may be her boyfriend at the moment but you do not dictate the time I spend with my daughter," he snapped. "We still have some things to discuss." He tried to grab Evie's hand but ended up against the wall.

"Your two hours are up," Charlie stated as he glared at his former brother in-law. "We are going home. Do not follow us, do not come near the house or you will be arrested." He followed Evie and Paul to the parking structure where Marshall was waiting for them.

"By the look on Charlie's face," Marshall began. "It wasn't a pleasant conversation." He started the car as soon as everyone put their seatbelts on.

"It was a normal conversation when it comes to Mitchell," Paul replied. He held Evie's hand as she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"I just reminded him of the restraining order," Charlie commented. "I spoke to a fella at the Police Station here and he's aware of the situation. Derek and I have his personal number in case Mitchell gets out of hand again." He took a breath to calm down.

Marshall looked in the rearview mirror. Evie had her eyes closed as she leaned against Paul. He could see how this entire ordeal with Mitchell was taking a toll on her. He gripped the steering wheel as he tried to relax. It was becoming harder to stand back and not react to Mitchell's constant attitude. The more that man pushed, the further it pushed Evie away.

They pulled into the driveway. Everyone got out not saying much. Jacob was outside with Bella by his side. When Evie walked by them, Bella put her arm around her cousin as Paul stopped in front of Jacob. Evie stopped and looked at Paul. He kissed her forehead and without saying a word to each other, she knew he needed to talk to Jacob. They waited until everyone walked inside.

"Sam called a few minutes after you guys left," Jacob said. "He knows about the leech." He ran his hand through his hair.

"How did he find out?" Paul asked. He rolled his shoulders to relieve the tension. "Neither one of us had a chance to call him."

"The pixie vamp contacted Seth to inform him about the bloodsucker being here. Sam was with my dad so that was a great conversation," Jacob said frustrated. "Carlisle called Bella and said they were all heading back to Forks. But I don't trust them. We need to keep guard." He looked around double checking they were still alone.

"Did you mention the imprint?" Paul asked. He knew Jacob spent most of the night reading over the journal and the book with all the stories of their tribe.

"Yeah," Jacob replied hesitantly. He rubbed the back of his neck. "He didn't believe it and demanded to see the journal when we get back. The old man was angry at being left out in the dark by Old Quil. Not to mention my sister Rachel called and will be back in La Push in a few weeks. Now we have to figure out how to keep her from finding out about wolves and cold ones." They turned when they heard footsteps approaching the front door.

Bella opened the door and gave Jacob a timid smile. "Emmett called. They are half way back to Forks. They felt driving was better than waiting for a flight," she said leaning into Jacob.

"Good at least their gone and away from Evie and everyone else," Paul said.

"I honestly don't think Carlisle trusted Edward," she stated. She relaxed as Jacob moved his hand down her back while using his fingers to massage her.

"Did you put the journal away?" Jacob asked as he continued to massage Bella.

"You showed her the journal," Paul asked shocked. He looked at them wondering when it happen. If Bella stressed about the imprint, it would worry Evie. She had enough to worry about without adding more crap.

"I put it in your suitcase," Bella answered. She looked at Paul with a bit of anger. "I have a right to know about my great grandmother being imprinted on." She held Jacob a bit tighter. They were together and she had faith in them.

"Of course you do," Jacob said in agreement with her. "It's not an issue for us. We know imprinting won't affect us. But I couldn't keep it from her." He kissed the top of her head to reassure her they were together no matter what.

"I need to check on Evie," Paul said as he walked away. It wasn't his place to say anything to them. But he knew if things went wrong, Evie will hurt for Bella and that is something he can't allow. He hoped there was an explanation for this entire thing.

He found Evie sitting with her mom. She was holding her mom's hand while Derek sat on the other side. They were both looking at Kathy as if willing her to health. He watched them quietly not wanting to disturb them. He could see the dark circles that were starting to form under Evie's eyes. The way her clothes were beginning to fit a bit too loose on her small frame.

He slowly backed out of the room to give them some privacy. He turned down the hall and sighed. Charlie raised a finger and pointed towards the patio. He nodded knowing exactly what the older man was going to say.

Charlie watched as Paul stepped out on the deck. "You know what I'm going to say, don't you?" he stated his arms crossed over his chest.

"Yes," Paul reluctantly said. "But you know if I hadn't gone, you would have." He looked straight at Charlie. He wasn't going to apologize for protecting Evie. "The look on her face as he grabbed her arm was too much for me to take. She's been through enough with that asshole." His hands were fisted by his side.

"The last thing we need is for Mitchell to have an excuse to haul Derek into court because Evie's boyfriend lost his temper," Charlie explained. He knew Paul was upset but he won't allow Mitchell to cause any more problems.

"Says the one who had him in a choke hold," Paul retorted. The look in Charlie's eyes made him cross his arms. "I'm not my father. I would never hurt Evie." He knew the veins in his arms and neck were bulging out.

Charlie looked at his feet and silently cursed himself. That was last thing he was thinking of when it came to Paul. He looked at the angry young man before him. "Paul, I'm sorry, but I never meant to imply you were anything like your father. When we were young he was a great guy," he said. "You do remind me of him." He held up his hands to stop Paul from speaking. "But it's the younger version of him. Kathy and he were best friends. But when Kathy left for college, he became different. No one could reach him after that, not even Kathy. She tried but your dad was too far gone." He placed a hand on Paul's shoulder. "If I thought for a moment you were anything like him, I wouldn't stop until you were out of Evie's life. But you are exactly who she needs in her life. I can see how much you love her and she feels the same for you." He gently squeezed Paul's shoulder before walking back in the house.

Paul looked out towards the view of the pier. He took a deep breath and relaxed his hands. He didn't realize they were still tightly fisted. A slight breeze moved around him bringing the salt air. He hated the fucking chip on his shoulder. No matter how often he reminded himself, it was still there. He naturally assumed everyone thought he was just like his old man. Would there ever come a time when he didn't think or feel that way?

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you for the reviews. Also thanks for following the story and marking it as your favorites.<strong>

**Thanks,**

**india8**


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